Beautiful Disaster
by Freestyle 763
Summary: Is this really happening to me? Why is it happening to me? Is this some sort of joke? Why am I...Why have I been transformed? Why am I Kampfer-again why is this happening to me? What else can I do other than go with the flow? I can resist! I'm bound to screw up royally several dozen times through this; this is nothing short of a beautiful disaster.
1. Chapter 1

Well, trying something new here, again, and just experimenting. I guess you could say. I have seen this anime a few dozen times, haven't read the manga, or the light novel..but I have a good grasp on it...I think..Anyways..Reviews are pretty sweet, follow and favorite is pretty sweet as well so hit those or do that if you like!

This story could be a slow starter, I'll give you a warning ahead of time. I'm going to begin at the part where Natsuru, Shizuku, Akane, and Mikoto form their truce-so between episode 5 and 6, Since the white Kampfer are also around.

This will be in first person as well.

My OC will be a foreigner, because I live in the states myself and not Japan-so I'll be moving to Japan close to the beginning in this story after I'm done with my freak out. I will also be a guy who can become a Kampfer, does become a Kampfer. I may or may not be able to transform back into a guy-may go with this angle or not. You could say this is a self insert, since I'm kind of putting myself into this and I'm writing in first person.

I will do my best to expand on some things-maybe have a direct conflict between Kampfer and Moderators later on, and not let my character shine completely over the eccentric team.

I'll get the personalities down the best I can, some there's not much to go off of, but I will do my best in keeping the characters true to themselves.

I'm going to rate this M for the obvious reasons like the usual antics in the show, and there will be a lot of violence and possibly gore later on.

So, some basics.

Name: Andrew Ambrose

Age: 18

Height: 6'3

Weight: 170lbs

High School Year: Third Year

Kampfer Team: Black

Combat Methods/Kampfer Type: Zauber

Element: Water

Battle Style: Takes opponents very serious. Doesn't hold back. Very quick. Uses incredible speed to evade attacks and incredible strength to overwhelm opponents.

Personality: Quiet, sensitive, and soft spoken. Speaks only when necessary. As a Kampfer remains shy and soft spoken, even more sensitive and can get temperamental.

I can't remember which episode it was when the four came to a truce, but I figured I'd start there in any case. So, I'll be coming in about halfway into the story, just about.

Thanks for reading!

* * *

 _Shit!_

 _Shit!_

 _This has to be a dream._

 _I'm dreaming._

 _I have to be._

 _I'm running faster than I ever have._

 _Jumping higher and further than I ever have._

 _I'm doing corkscrews._

 _I'_ _m doing double and triple flips-front and back._

 _Yet, I feel a presence no matter how quickly I move._

 _I extend my right arm in an effort to balance before I fall face first onto the cement and roll like an idiot until I hit something._

 _I can't read a thing-it's in this strange writing. Is it Japanese, Chinese...? I can't even guess, they have the lines and all of that and it's clearly not English or Spanise. Not like I should really care what language the writing is in considering I'm running for my life, at least that's how I feel because this woman is chasing me. She has the strangest purple hair, and piercing eyes that look to be a few shades lighter. No, they're blue now that I actually focus._

 _That gaze makes my stomach flip and my heart sink...Does she want to kill me?_

 _What did I do?_

 _Well, I can't give her the chance!_

 _I enjoy living, thank you._

 _Heart still racing I jump and slide across a rather big cement beam, just barely missing the stupid barbed wire, gazing behind me just long enough to see this menacing three pronged thing coming right for my head. I barely duck under it and spin off to the side, kicking myself up and over the boundary before sprinting as fast as I can. I don't care where I'm going, as long as it's far away from this woman. The woman continues to pursue me, I cringe hearing the whistle of blades cutting and the rattling of that chain shooting across its gap._

 _"Ah!" I exclaim all at once, my voice isn't present, but the action still stands. Feeling the steady trickle of blood flowing out from the top of my arm, I rip what remains of my sleeve away before kicking up my speed despite my heart's and lungs' fervent protests. Lactic acid is engorging me, and the burn is just agonizing. This is terrible, just terrible, even if it is just a dream. This woman is trying to kill me, strangle me with that dangerous looking chain, or skewer me with this wicked prong things. I couldn't have the dream where it's impossible to walk or run? Or the dream where I'm flying? Why does it have to be this?_

 _There's some more writing I can't understand on a sign ahead of me-so I kick the stupid thing down and continue on my way towards what I can only hope is my escape route. If I can outpace this woman she won't be able to get a hold of me. I jump across the stupid tennis courts-why the hell are these even on the roof!? I trip over my feet, hastily slamming one hand in the ground and bend back onto my feet._

 _Just a bit more._

 _I skid to a stop, barely halting just before I hit the roof's edge. It has to be a forty foot drop if not more. I suck in a hasty breath, turning my focus behind me and watch with shaking hands and trembling arms as the woman advances on me slowly, almost like she's enjoying this. Enjoying my fear. Enjoying the look on my face which must be delightful for her and downright shameful for me. She smiles a small smile, showing off her teeth, and her blue eyes glint before growing even more cold than before._

 _I shiver._

 _I am in deep shit._

 _It's either die or jump off of this roof and well-die._

 _She moves in a blur, and I can see the chain warping towards me as one skewer flies just off to the side of me._

 _She intends to wrap me up like a roll up and squeeze the life out of me!_

 _I take a risk and jump off the roof, shutting my eyes as hard as I can willing this dream to end. Willing myself to wake up in my bed and not be somewhere else being chased by this woman with all of this strange writing around me._

The sun's warm rays beat upon my face, fishing their way through the blinds of my room. I groan as I startle awake, and turn away from them in a futile attempt to block them out, but it of course doesn't do any good and I can feel myself stirring more despite my will not to.

I groan tiredly.

I massage my aching head. Getting up for school always sucks ass, and I really hate having to go through with this process, but I'm usually not this tired. I feel like someone took me and rolled me flat with a rolling pin while stomping on my. Perhaps it's because of that strange dream, that seemed and felt so real-those blades and chains definitely felt real when they just whizzed by my face and cut into my arm.

I check my arm, okay I'm good.

"What a weird dream...I really need to stop smoking before bed." I mumble to myself, stretching my arms high over my head with my fists clenched, the tiredness slowly leaves a I hyper extend my legs forcing the rest of the kinks out. The blankets look a bit higher than they did last night, especially around my chest, but I don't pay too much mind to it and go about my business in the bathroom. Sleepy eyes could be deceptive.

The cold water brings some relief and shocks me to wake up just a bit more. I take it another step above and splash it on my face, gasping softly and clenching my eyes shut. It's so cold, but oddly refreshing, and is just what I need. I repeat this process but grab soap this time and use warmer water, wiping my face dry once I'm all done and set the towel back neatly.

I open my eyes, staring at my reflection blankly.

My hair is blacker than usual and has grown _a lot_ , going to my thighs easily than its previous length in the middle of my back, I also have very long bangs, I can't even see my eyes they're so ridiculously long . I sigh and pull them back,...My eyes! they're a light brown mixed with gold, like actual gold; it's a bit mystifying to say the least. They're so bright, my eyes were bright before, and I've always been told I have very pretty eyes, but now they're like shining!

Maybe I'm just still hazed over from sleep? I have to be because my skin looks softer than it normally does-it's not as rough and coarse as it had been before. My skin is the same tone as before, brown, or just a little lighter. My body also looks less muscular, I still have muscle, but it's different.

I'm more sleek than lean, more curvy than muscular.

My body is outlined with curves rather than angles. My hips are wider. My waist is tiny, it always has been, but it's much more noticeable now. My shoulders are more narrow. My chin is also more round instead of angled.

My chest is poking out with two mounds of flesh.

I look like an hourglass, sort of. I turn partly.

Ass is bigger too, I actually have an ass.

I yawn, rubbing at the sleep in my eyes before putting my hands up on my chest and squeezing absently.

My skin is so soft.

"Boobs..."

I look in the mirror.

"That's sexy."

I stumble back.

Something isn't right...

I touch the mirror-my reflection looks back at me.

"What the fuck!?" I shout, falling backwards, smacking the back of my head off one part of the tub. I grasp the part I hit, nursing it while clenching my teeth, shit that hurt! My heart skips more than one beat and I feel fear before smacking both hands over my mouth, cursing myself for being so damn careless. My mother could have very well heard me, but...That's not what really makes me worry. If my brother or father seen me...

"Ahh..."

My voice!

This can't be right! I frantically shove my hands between my legs, moving my fingers as fast as I can. This can't be happening. No. No. No. No!

"It's _gone_!? HOW!?"

I barrel out of the bathroom like a herd of elk, don't pay attention to the game controller a few feet ahead of me and end tripping over it and my own feet; sending me flying onto my bed before I'm neatly slammed down on the floor from the rest of the momentum. "This can not be happening...This is not really happening. I'm just dreaming. It's not really gone." I assure myself with all the vigor I can muster up, closing my eyes and trying to force myself to wake up from this horrible nightmare. A nightmare I've seemingly awoken to.

A nightmare where I am a woman and my...It's gone!

"I'm not dreaming..." I mutter in horror, clenching both articles of my chest tightly before sitting up and pacing around my room. These are not pectorals, no...No! These are the complete opposite!

I am not dreaming!

NO!

This can't be happening, and I refuse to believe this is happening. Somehow, through some means I'm...I can't even say it. I can't go to school like this, I can't even leave my room like this! This isn't right, and if this is some cruel joke someone is playing on me I swear I'm going to cut off your tongue and shove it so far up your ass you're going to be tasting your own shit.

Just change me back, please!

These boobs feel real enough...My boobs

This ass feels real enough...My ass

Ow!

Okay, hair feels real enough too and is locked on my scalp.

I quickly throw on a shirt and some jogging pants.

I have to stay modest, and I can't let anyone...See...

"Ugh, what's going on?" I'm not sure why I didn't notice it before, but even my voice is higher and lacks any real bass in comparison to how I sounded before. This is terrible, I first blow everything off on just a sleep haze, and now I'm so oblivious I can't even...But, how could I even entertain the fact that I am now a woman. Have a woman's body...This shit is just too confusing!

"You're a Kampfer now!"

I jump off the floor whipping my head from left to right feeling anxiety getting the better of me. I'm losing my mind. I am losing my shit. First this and now I'm hearing voices-well, to be more specific a voice, but the point still stands. I am losing my shit. I'm not usually so easy to scare or startle, and rarely ever get anxious save for being on airplanes.

Yeah, so this is pretty bad, clearly.

"Who's there!?" I look around frantically, but I can't see anything other than my bed, TV, video game system, and the damn controller I stepped on. I must be really losing my mind, maybe I'm hallucinating and am running around naked in a park somewhere.

Nothing else makes sense...

"Over here!"

I turn towards my window-the old and dirty thing. Standing right there is a...It's a pretty big plush bear that's like a maroon-brownish color with a white belly. I'm not quite sure if this is real, but there's a drop of blood hanging from its mouth that makes me take a step back, seeing the small strand of...Are those intestines? They're hanging out of its gut and it just plain weird, however seeing it's small stub of a tail I relax just a bit.

I've had it since I was a child, it's one of my last stuffed animals.

"You...You just came to life! Are you really talking? You're a stuffed animal!"

I startle back, back bracing against the wall as the thing stares at me and hops onto his feet with his chest puffed out. It's not small by any means, it has some size. It's bigger than my pillows, so...

"I'm Stubby Bear. I am a Messenger, meant to accompany you from now on. I am not a stuffed animal, I am an Entrails Animal, and, yes I am talking."

It seems quite chipper but there's some attitude in the tone that I don't miss as it corrects me of my clear misunderstanding. Entrails Animal, stuffed animal-both of them are stuffed!

I scowl at the thing, crossing my arms over my chest. Yeah, that's not going to work.

I sigh, stuffing them in my pockets-I am never going to adjust to this, hopefully there's a way I can change back.

"What is a Kampfer? Why do I have to be a Kampfer? Why is this happening to me?" I must sound not so eloquent because Stubby Bear looks at me with a tilt of its head almost like he...It is mocking me, or finding some sort of sick amusement in all of this before jumping from my windowsill not so gracefully and landing on my bed. It takes a moment to balance before walking towards me.

"You are a warrior that is required to fight other Kampfer. Only girls can become Kampfer, so that explains why you are the way you are now. There are two teams of Kampfer-red and blue. The team a Kampfer represents is determined by the color of their Oath Bracelet like the one on your arm." He says in the same cheerful tone, gesturing with his paw at the bracelet on my wrist.

Why hadn't I noticed that before?! I stare at my right wrist and start tugging the bracelet with all the strength I can muster up. Now, I know it's said man are superior to women, and I have nothing against women...But, men have more muscle mass, and their bones and all of that are denser, I think? Women are more flexible, and they can get very strong, too. But, they aren't dead lifting eight hundred pounds.

I can feel the difference as I flex my arms.

There is something missing.

The stupid metallic thing won't even budge-it's like it's become a part of me now. It goes beyond just being stuck or affixed to my wrist; this is like a fourth layer of skin.

So many questions and assumptions are running rampant through my head, like why did this have to happen to me in specific, but I ask perhaps the most obvious question this is at the moment. It's only right and logical if I ask, because why would I have to be the one that's so different than the rest of these Kampfer? Can I not catch a break? Why am I thrown into mosh pit, why can't it be some goofball or sap?

"This bracelet is black. You said there are only red and blue Kampfer."

"It is an odd circumstance. You are not the first Black Kampfer to exist, according to my knowledge at least. But, there have been strange things going on recently with the whole thing, so I'm not entirely surprised. But, I don't know why the Moderators would insert a fourth team in the mix like this, even with the current state of events." He bobs his head a little bit in what I can only assume is a nod; if he could make actual facial expressions like myself I bet he'd have his eyebrows scrunched together.

He looks just as puzzled as I do.

Moderators? What the hell were those things? Were they supposed to be the Kampfer's parents or something? No, that didn't make any sense. Did they keep track of us and make sure we're going along with whatever...This is? Well, if that is the case I will not be partaking in any of this because I refuse to be used like a pawn and go with another's schemes who doesn't even have the guts to show their face. What did that make the Kampfer? Expendable?

Pawns...

Better to take this one step at a time.

Kampfer then Moderators.

"Okay, so first thing is first. How the hell do I change back?"

"That's really easy, actually! You just clear your mind, focus, and imagine your body as a sculpture. Now imagine that same sculpture being remolded and reshaped, and focus on what you want to transform into, in this case, a boy." Stubby Bear looks at me with enthusiasm-I guess he's an optimistic and chipper personality, considering his tone doesn't seem the least bit forced or exaggerated.

I give him a skeptical look.

"Just do it!"

I groan softly, I think I'm giving myself a headache. I close my eyes and do exactly what he told me to. I imagine myself a clay sculpture, being molded and shaped by myself, but I don't feel any change at all. In fact I feel the exact same as before, aside from getting a little pissed off that I am getting nowhere with this! I open my eyes and not so surprisingly I still have curves and boobs.

This isn't amusing, and I'm fully convinced someone is playing a horrible joke on me.

This joke is too practical.

"It's not working..." I struggle to rein in my annoyance, but it is extremely hard. My teeth start clenching as I focus more and more, but I can't feel any change whatsoever!

"Why isn't it working!" My jaws are aching.

Now is not the time for suspenseful silence!

"Once you learn how to better control your transformations you won't be encountering the problem you are now. Now, I'm going to warn you of a few things, so listen carefully. When you're near another Kampfer, your bracelet will begin to glow and you will transform. This only happens when you're first starting out, like the other problem you are experiencing now with not being able to change back into a boy. There are three types of Kampfer. A Schwert user-they use swords and other close range weaponry, well known for their physical strength and dexterity. Ghwer users-they are generally affiliated with guns and other long range weaponry, well known for their quic with and shrewdness. Then there's the more versatile of Kampfers, the Zauber users-they are multi ranged and use magical energy as their main combat method. They are also known for their peerless agility."

I nod, humming softly to myself while I tap my foot on the floor. This is...Interesting to say the least. So, there are three types of Kampfer-the muscle and heavy hitters, the support and tactical, and then there was the all around. Of course in order that would be Schwert, Ghwer, and Zauber. They all have their strengths and weaknesses, naturally. But, the Schwert to me, seems to be more athletic and all around stronger than the other two-not to say one can't beat the other and so forth, but this is just how I see it.

Schwert get in your face, Ghwer keep it long ranged ranged and rain down projectiles-I wonder if they have a rocket launcher or something, that's so not fair; and Zauber keep it mid ranged. They were all offensive in their own aspects.

"Why do I have to fight other Kampfer?"

"It's the rules."

"Did you make them or did the Moderators?"

"Moderators."

I groan and roll my eyes, of course it's them. Things or people that I can't even see are pulling the strings-this is ridiculous."Is there...Like a time limit I have before I transform?"

"Not sure. Thirty seconds, maybe a little more, maybe a little less."

"And...Which type of Kampfer am I?"

Did I just ask that?

Do life choices matter when it came to this sort of thing? I've always been a fitness buff and train every day, play a lot of sports as well. I don't think I'd be a Ghwer because they're long ranged to make up for their lack of strength, I would guess. Then again, this is happening to me at the moment, so I very well could be a Ghwer despite my lifestyle. I'm not slim or anything like that, I am lean and muscular, so Zauber is out of the question as well, but I'm only making assumptions based on my lack of knowledge on this whole thing.

But, then again it could be out of my control just like this predicament at the moment.

Stubby Bear should know.

"If this is a visualize in your mind thing and focus like with this last one which failed in epic fashion, I'll add..."

I will throw something at Stubby Bear!

"Well, you really don't have any control over that. But, you are a Zauber." Stubby Bear waves his paw in nonchalance, I think, and throws himself down on my bed so he's lying and looking up at the ceiling.

"And, just what is a Zauber?"

"Zauber is one of the most versatile in methods of combat. They are multi-ranged, and there's a lot you can do with just a simple thought. Certain Zauber types can do what others can't. If they have control over ice, they can shoot icicles at you one moment, and then create an ice sword and go into close range right after that, and then after that rain down a storm of ice comets. If they have control over water they can use the moisture in the air-or create that moisture themselves in order to produce attacks. If they have control over earth they can make armor out of the earth around them and orient it for offense or defense, shape the entire landscape, and use their surroundings to aid them. There's water, fire, and lightning which can be used in unpredictable fashion-having control of wind would give you the greatest advantage environment wise. Zauber are not limited to the basic elements and can have control over electricity, light, darkness, lava, and so forth."

"So, they can have control over forests too, or would that be earth?"

"That'd be an extension of earth, but there have been times where Kampfer have control over trees and such."

"Wow..."

"I'm a little surprised you didn't see your bracelet."

"Oh, well I'm just losing my mind here. Excuse me for not taking the time to look at my weapons or a stupid bracelet!" I grouse.

"So, try it out!"

I blink several times, staring at Stubby Bear.

"Grab a hold of your inner energy, and envision what you want that energy to turn into. You're just limited by your imagination.

I extend my arm, opening my palm and focusing, but trying to remain relaxed. I drift into my thoughts, letting them come and go, not latching onto any one in particular. I can feel a spark within me, well it's kind of hard to describe, but it's very warm! I grab a hold of the heat, feeling my heart pick up. I struggle to bring it to the surface.

I flinch against the droplets falling upon me, it's much more cold, I strain against the force. A ripple, like the ones on the pond whenever I'd skip rocks when I was younger.

A spiral of water forms to my shock, before spearing off into the wall and easily shredding it until there is just a gaping hole remaining.

"So, looks like your element is water. You're a natural at this, not many can summon their element so quickly."

"Sweet!" I smack my hand over my mouth, too surprised with how...Feminine I sound. I hope I'm not like this all damn day.

"Lastly if you come across another Kampfer, fight them. You may be a Black Kampfer, or part of a fourth team, but that doesn't mean you don't fight other Kampfer. Don't kill them, though."

"I have no intention to kill them." I say softly. I felt bad when I killed a bug, there's no way I can kill another person. There's no way I can kill another Kampfer whether they're a red, blue, green, yellow, or purple. I have no wish to fight against them at all, to kill them...Well, I'd need to be extreme, and while I can be extreme while I'm training that is as far as it goes. I can't even kill a bug without feeling bad, there's no way I can kill a person.

"Splendid!"

"Oh, you keep mentioning I'm part of a fourth team, who is the third team?" I stare at him, waiting for an answer.

"The White Kampfer. There's four of them, total."

"You're kidding?"

"Nope!"

"So, there's the red, blue, white, and now me."

"In a nutshell."

"...Thanks for the all of the information by the way, Stubby Bear." I say, quickly turning to Stubby Bear. I didn't want to be rude or anything like that, even if it was a little weird that this Stuffed...This Entrail Animal was actually talking to me and acting like well...Human, sort of. It had its own personality and everything. It's also given me quite a bit of information, and that I am now part of a fourth team. This is just way too strange to even consider, but it's happening.

 _What am I going to do now? I can't go to school like this...I can't leave my room like this._

There is also now part of the house missing.

I really need to also figure out why Kampfer have to fight, and who the hell started this whole thing in the first place.

Because putting me in the middle, huge mistake on whoever's part that decided to go through with that stupid idea.

"It's all part of the job, girlie.

"Don't call me that."

"You are a girl, though."

"There's something else I should tell you." Stubby Bear adds quickly before I can retort.

"What is it?"

My heart sinks. I'm not at all sad, but more worried. More on edge than anything else. Usually when people say stuff like this it went from bad to worse, or what was said triggered something so hellishly ridiculous it was borderline hilarious. I've got enough news, too much for my liking, and I really need a break from all of this crazy. This lunacy. Stubby Bear has told me strange things, so strange that I can't really comprehend them but the proof is in well...Yeah, enough said.

I don't want to think of what he is going to say to me that should warrant such a suspenseful build up.

"We're going to move to Japan."

I laugh, not at all afraid of how I sound at the moment. This is rich, in fact it's so rich I can't stop laughing. Me move to Japan, yeah that is just funny. Funniest thing I've heard. First of all the tickets cost an arm and a leg, and well I just don't have a couple of grand laying around like it's nobody's business-second of all the flight is like eighteen hours long or maybe even longer. I will not and can not sit in an airplane that long, I get antsy just after being one for an hour. So, there's another reason why it's the funniest thing I've ever heard-I will lose my mind more than I have being stuck in a plane for that long.

The third and most important reason is because I have family here at the moment, and I very well can't leave them. As much as it pains me to say it, I have to stay back to continue going to school, and well I just don't want to move to Japan. That flight is going to be pure agony, unrestrained and horrible agony. I'm also pretty sure foreigners have a hard time finding houses or finding someone willing to go down that route, and I will not be sleeping in parks or on park benches.

"Yeah little guy, that's not going to be happening." I finally cease my laughter and heft in a deep breath. My gut hurts.

"It's where all the other Kampfer are."

"And?"

"Were you listening to me before?"

"Yes."

I nod just barely.

But, this little guy didn't say anything about having to move to Japan or that being the country where all the Kampfer were. In order to talk about that he would have to speak about the origins of Kampfer, and that probably started with the moderators and he wouldn't be privy to that sort of information. I don't think so at least. Maybe he just knew the basics, but nothing extremely advanced.

Perhaps this is a good thing, my head is spinning enough with this bit of information that has already been given, anything more, and I'm sure I'll be shaking my head while groaning.

This is just fucking great.

"You didn't say anything about me moving, though! I don't want to move!"

"It's already been taken care of, the only thing you have to do is catch your flight. Kampfer gather in groups, where there is one there is usually two or three, even more." Stubby Bear says. I guess the silence stretched on a bit too long for him, and he found the need to put the exclamation mark at the end of his statement.

"So, why am I a Kampfer if that is the case and they're all in Japan?"

"Strange things have been going on with this for quite awhile now, there's even another boy like you that was transformed into a Kampfer not too long ago, and not everything is going according to the Moderators' will. It is very...Strange."

I feel bad for that boy.

"So, I'm being signaled out?" It wasn't fair for me if that is really the case. Why does it have to be me that's so different than the rest of these Kampfer? Why can't it be someone else like that group of jackasses that live just down the block, or that other group of morons that live across the corner store? I don't believe in luck, but I'm not catching a break at all, and if I had some luck I wouldn't be in this situation.

"You're just like any other Kampfer, except you're a black Kampfer."

I don't like the way that was put or in the context.

"That makes me feel soooo much better." I cross my arms over my chest, before adjusting and crossing them under my boobs. That's better, it was uncomfortable crossing my arms over them. This is going to take some adjusting and I hope I change back within the next forty eight hours at the very least. If that doesn't happen I think I will lose my shit.

"Glad to be of assistance!"

"What about my family?" I ask, trying to keep my voice neutral and suppress my sigh, but it's hard. I don't want to leave my home and family to go and fight in some crazy shit. I need to be here for them, and more importantly I just can't leave them. I love my family. If I move I'll be all alone in Japan, and I'm sure nobody would even want to talk to me. I'd stick out like a sore thumb.

Hello there!

"They'll be fine, they already left, actually. Don't you think it's weird after all the noise you just caused nobody came up here to investigate?"

"You could have told me that from the start!" I half yell, stomping out my room with good speed before swinging the door open and going down the hall closest to my left and see...There's nothing there. No furniture, the giant display thing is gone, the TV is gone, and so is the desktop. I feel anxious, so I hurry down the stairs as fast as I can and nearly bust the down in the process.

"Mom! Dad!" I call out, peeking around the entrance to the kitchen. Everything is where it should be. The fridge is to my left against the wall, the stove is just across from there and a bit ways to the right-the counter top along with the drawers on top are all where they should be. The big freezer is even in the same spot-there's a few dishes, but nothing like usual. "Is anyone here!?"

I raise my voice a good bit, wincing at the volume. More importantly just how high I can get my tone. This can't be right, it doesn't make any sense. How could they just up and leave? It don't make a lick of sense. I didn't hear them moving out or anything like that-I definitely would have heard them taking out the couches and chairs, those things are so awkward and oblique they'd have to have been banging off the walls when they were carrying it down the stairs and out the back door. Front wouldn't be an option since the porch was nothing short of flimsy at best

I bolt for the basement, jumping down the last three stairs and look in the laundry room as I screech to a halt. The washer and dryer are both gone and the clothes that were hanging are gone as well. I run straight ahead and turn hard to my left, skidding to a stop once I'm in the middle of the neighboring room and I'm met with emptiness once again. The shelf to keep the TV on is gone, the game system is gone, the Olympic weight set is gone along with the bench, and the bed that folded out from the couch-along with that very couch are nowhere within my sight.

Now, granted the last things were thrown away-the couch was old as shit, and while the bed was relatively clean and without blemish; it's like that saying with one rotten apple ruining the whole batch-though I have to wonder if that holds any merit.

"Can you give me a little warning before you do that? Or better yet, carry me with you. It's tough getting around being as small as I am and you're really quick."

I turn around and see Stubby Bear strolling in without a care in the world, though he does look a bit annoyed with my performance as he keeps a folded letter along with a rather thick form of sorts pressed between his paws, somehow. Well, I don't try to disappoint, and I'm going above and beyond my usual performance considering what is going on. I am on twelve instead of ten I'm quickly making my way to thirty, and skipping over a dozen or more numbers in the process only escalating further.

"What's going on Stubby Bear? My family, where are they?"

"Read this letter."

I grab the piece of paper and unfold it without hesitation, relieving him of the thick thing of papers, and hurriedly skim over the piece of paper. Shock filters through me as I recognize it's my mother's handwriting. Why hadn't I seen this piece of paper from the beginning? Oh yeah, I'm having a meltdown here, no biggie.

 **We've won the lottery and left two nights ago. We have moved out of the state to Florida. You're always welcome as you know, and the address is in here as well. I know this is short notice, but I've left you more than enough money for your flight and your first three month's rent as well as some money to eat before and after your flights. I've also set up a bank account for you, and this money is all in there, you can deposit the two checks I've left you into your bank account, too. Lastly, I've left a few enrollment forms for a school that will be roughly twenty minutes away from the apartment complex you will be staying in. It's called Seitetsu Gakuin High School. Fill out the forms and take them to school on Monday. There are directions on how to get there from your apartment. Do not skip or do what you've been doing here.**

 **There's food in the pantry, what you don't eat throw away.**

I take deep breaths struggling to comprehend this at all. I can't really comprehend it. My family left two days ago, keeping me here instead of taking me with them? Did this also mean that I've been sleeping for two entire days!? That didn't make any sense to me at all, I've heard of people sleeping for an entire day, but not two whole days. That is some serious exhaustion among other things that'd make a person sleep that long. I know I get sore from training, but nothing that would make me fall asleep for two whole days.

More importantly they've won the lottery and I get some of it!

I make a small breakfast-just some eggs, bacon, toast, and some hash browns. I eat it slowly, trying to grasp this whole thing. I think it is starting to effect my eating speed, because I'm chewing as slow as I'm grasping this whole scenario.

And, what the hell is Seitetsu Gakuin-whatever the hell it's called. It sounds like something straight out of anime that I'd watch on TV or on the internet whenever I have time. Did all schools in Japan have such strange anime cliche names? I really hope it's not a uniform school because that is going to be a huge problem-I'm used to wearing whatever I want, and I've got no intention to change that anytime soon, and better yet, not at all.

Do they separate the boys and girls or let them mingle together?

I can't begin to guess.

I really hope it's not a private school, because kids that go to those sort of schools are a bunch of little stuck up, snobby bitches that think they're all that in a bag of chips. I've dealt with those types of people before and every time I either punch them in the mouth or just ignore their presence like they don't even exist. I can't stand stuck up people.

Kiss my ass.

Of course my mom has to add the do not skip part, because I do just that now. Things will be different in Japan, and I'm sure as much as they're different socially and culturally; they do have their differences when it comes to the expectations of students going to school, especially those of an older age. They really take their schooling serious last time I checked and it's sort of a contest. I'm certain no kids must skip school or anything of the like, afraid of getting in trouble among other things.

I have no such concerns, and if I can help it I will not be stepping foot into this anime cliche school. I get the feeling I'm going to have more of these meltdowns if I go there. The last thing I would be doing is running around in a schoolgirl outfit, that is also too cliche for my taste not to mention it'd show off way too much. So, if I can help it I _will not_ be going into that school save for giving whoever is in charge my enrollment forms.

But, now that I think about it the name does sound a little familiar-I think it is a private school, one of the best in Japan.

Great...

"So, you ready to leave yet?"

"I already told you, that's not happening."

Stubby Bear tilts his head, puzzled by my stubbornness. "They're going to tear down this house."

"What!?"

"You already took out this whole side!"

"I didn't do it on purpose!"

"Let's go to Japan!"

I grab the stupid thing by his arm and pull him close to my chest as I lunge up the stairs, clearing the whole case, and throw the back door open. Flimsy as always, the screen door flies into the side of the house. I pay little attention to the wail of hinges ripping to pieces nor exclamation of glass shattering as it begins cascading on the ground. I don't bother to pick it up or fix the door-I just sprint for my front stairs as I see people crowding near the bottom of the hill.

"You might want to hold back your strength-"

"Be quiet before I stuff you!"

"What the hell is that?" I can't keep my voice down at this point; there is a demolition crew for lack of a better term at the bottom of the hill with this neat little vehicle with a miniature ball of death hanging from it just waiting to smack into the side of home. It could be here for just effect or get me to move faster if I refuse to leave the house, after all they wouldn't swing that thing when there's other houses next to mine.

"Do you live here?" One of the burly men asks me. His hard hat is glistening from the sunlight, and sending a glare right into my eyes. It's quite painful.

I squint, holding back a smart retort. No I don't live here, I just came running out the back while tearing the screen door off and sending a swarm of glass on the ground because I'm just passing by and wanted to see what was in the house! "Yes, I live here. Why else would I come running all of this way? What are you doing?"

"This house is designated for demolition, if you have any personal belongings now is the time to get them out."

"There must be some mistake."

I feel my less than frantic face falter, and judging from this man's reaction my emotions are extremely clear. Or, maybe it's the fact I'm a girl and he's having a hard time keeping his eyes to himself...Either way my plight is very clear, and I'm tempted to shove my foot where no man wants a foot to be shoved.

Eyes up, buddy!

"No." He looks at me with an ugly expression, does he even care how scrunchy his face looks with that frown, and why show off your teeth if they're brown. Does he not care about his public relations with the city?

Yeah, I guess not.

Listerine and toothpaste go a very long way.

Seeing as I'm not going to win this dispute I sigh and trudge back into the house to get anything that is noteworthy. I gather my skateboard, DVD and tape collection along with my DVD player, headphones, phone, shirts, pants, shorts, and boxers stuffing them into a duffel bag any which way before zipping it shut. I put my headphones on, because I can't afford to have these things break in the melee that is inside of my duffel bag. I will die if I can't listen to music and watch videos while on this stupid long ass flight.

I hurry and take a quick five minute shower-well it's more like twenty minutes since I won't be able to take another one for at least twelve hours, I'm just going to chalk it up to twenty four hours, so better to do this now! I don't want to be smelling. I throw on a pair of black jogging pants, a gray t-shirt, and a simple pair of socks before finishing it off with my pair of white skate shoes.

It's too bad I can't fit my TV in my duffel bag.

I have no bra so looks like the girls are going to be free.

"You can all eat a dick, by the way!" I shout at the burly men, giving the one that was so rude to me the finger for good measure. They shout something back I don't care to hear. My car engine is rumbling and I'm already pulling out and heading for the nearest freeway.

"We're going to Japan!" Stubby Bear cheers, jumping up on the dashboard; setting his paws on his hips. "I've never been on an airplane before, I bet it's fun! Being in a car is fun, too. You should go faster."

"It's really not that exciting. You have to sit still, there's turbulence, there's annoying people, and sometimes babies crying." I grumble with halfhearted annoyance. Maybe it'd be exciting if we were going there-if I was going there for my own personal reasons, but I'm basically heading there to fight with other Kampfer just because and nothing less. I can't really stand this notion that I'm supposed to fight these people, who I don't even know, just because of the Moderators-assholes. Yeah, so it's not the most exciting thing in the world for me to embark on, plus there's the seventeen hour flight!

My other points stand as well!

"Somebody kill me. Learn how to drive!" I groan out, putting my foot down on the gas, my back hits the seat and I suck in a breath as I pass up three cars that were going too slow for my taste. making them look like they were standing still I'm moving so fast. I can't help but let out a small wooo of exhilaration as my stomach dips down, it's always something speeding up and getting passed the eighty miles mark, even going sixty made my heart skip a beat and stomach pull.

"Cheer up! I'm coming with you!" Stubby Bear exclaims.

"Easy for you to say, you're a stuffed-"

"Entrails Animal!"

"Sorry. You're not the one that's having..." I look over my body for a brief second, and start making sounds to emphasize my point. My voice is still high pitched-womanly, and these damn boobs are really starting to get on my nerves. "This happen to you."

"You'll change back to normal...Eventually."

"Why did you pause just now?"

"Well, you can change back to normal in a few minutes or it can take several days. There have been times where someone can't transform back to normal and they remain in their Kampfer form, though it's quite rare for this to happen; it's not unheard of."

I groan even louder, if that happened to me...Well, hopefully when I go to sleep or something I'll change back, because staying like this for several days-I don't even want to entertain the thought. Staying like this for the rest of my life-fuck that, somebody shoot me now and put me out of my misery!

I'm now about two hours away from the closest airport, zipping down the freeway, and passing up these inept drivers while Stubby Bear goes nuts on adrenaline. He's on the dashboard with his arms up telling me to go faster-I'm already going eighty five miles, pushing close to ninety, anymore and I'm certain I'll be getting pulled over.

Of course, people could drive at one hundred and forty miles and they'd never get pulled over in their lives, they could smash into another car, drive off, and never even get caught, but if I go even ten miles over the speed limit I'll get pulled over.

"How am I going to get through airport security?" I should have thought about this better, but between stupid drivers and entertaining Stubby Bear despite better thought I hadn't even given this certain scenario any type of thought. I am a girl, uh young lady, and my Driver's License, is well-I'm a young man in that picture, while I do look the same in some aspects, widely different in some aspects, they're going to be able to tell that I am not that person despite the resemblance. Those dumb asses may have fat ass heads and are as dumb as rocks, but even they'd spot this error.

They were going to search through my duffel bag beyond thoroughly, I can already see the idiots all grouping together like a bunch of monkeys, except monkeys have more brains than even they do! Those stupid ass security guards will mess with my skateboard, mess with my computer, just crack open all of my game cases-not caring in the least to put them back in their _respective_ cases so they didn't smudge, and the big one if they decide to be dickheads-removing all of my clothes from my bag.

I'd then be forced to stuff it all back into the bag, and go through a series of those stupid containers to get all of my clothes in the first place. In that time I could miss my flight to...Japan.

It's bad enough being in an airport and having to go through all of this crap, but missing my flight or it being delayed-I will flip my lid!

"You're worrying too much, just go in there and do what you always do." Stubby Bear tries to comfort me, but it offers little solace.

"You realize that I am a young man in the picture for my Driver's License?"

Stubby Bear sighs, scratching at one of his ears. "Just don't worry about it. We're going to Japan, let's focus on the positive."

"This is just absurd!" I put my foot down on the gas and climb towards one hundred and twenty miles before steadying it there and making it my new cruising speed. Fuck the police or anyone other authority figure, I'm coming through without any reprieve, and driving this fast admittedly helps me vent my frustration with this whole situation.

I also need to get something to learn Japanese-do they have a Japanese for dummies book?

They must because they have that same book for literally everything else.

"You may want to read this..." Stubby Bear pulls out the very book I had been thinking of. I'm not sure if I should feel insulted or thankful that he took some initiative to get this book, because I sure would have went to Japan not knowing any Japanese save for yes and well, that'd be about it. I'm not quite sure how he managed to actually get it or make it appear out of thin air, but I've been dealing with enough, and I don't need more questions that have no answers.

Guess I'm going to stick with what is certain, and at the moment, that is I'm moving to Japan.

I guess.

"Go faster!"

I suppose there is no harm in indulging on the wild side, I'm not going to be living her anymore, and driving fast is relieving a lot of frustration. I oblige him, feeling myself smile-this little guy is cheering me up too. Stubby Bear is quite the cheerful spirit. I gasp once more as the car pulls ahead, the speedometer slowly climbing to one hundred and five. "Strap yourself in, Stubby Bear-we're off to Japan!"

"Wooo!"

For better or worse, I think it's going to be downright horrible no matter how it is sliced.

At least my family will be okay and I have my companion-Stubby Bear, with me.


	2. Chapter 2

My car stalled out...

The flight...

Sucked.

I don't like being in airplanes. For lots of people it's the take off that they don't like, or the landing. For some it's the turbulence during the flight. For me it's all of the above and the fact I'm stuck in the big ass thing twenty thousand something feet in the sky! I don't think Kampfer can fly, and while I could use my water element to give myself wings, I'm not going to push it and quite literally fall flat. Anyways, back to my point the flying sucks!

If I am meant to fly I'd have wings or be able to fly through some means, but seeing as I walk, I am not supposed to be this high in the sky. I don't like being taken off my feet in general, and that's not even scratching twelve feet off of the ground.

Through it all though, nothing went drastically wrong.

The worry I had with airport security was quelled upon them just letting me walk through-there is this special thing you can get where you don't have to wait in the lines and just walk through while having the luggage scanned, but even the treatment they gave me couldn't compare to that. I didn't even have to get searched or anything, the only thing they took out was my skateboard and laptop.

So, it is a plus I didn't have to repack and refold everything, and more importantly it would have been strange to see a woman with boy's boxers, but that's all I have other than shorts. I think I'm more inclined to wear the shorts than the boxers at this point, doesn't seem as weird.

"I literally can't believe that worked." I sigh.

"I told you to stay positive, and everything worked out fine."

In my defense I had no clue that my Driver's License would change from a young man...To how I look now. Everything is the same, my height, my weight, even my eye color-the biggest difference is of course I am a woman in the picture. Despite my awkwardness with the whole thing, I am thankful everything went smoothly-even the flight was smooth despite it being ridiculously long.

I'm just happy to be off of the plane and on my own feet on the ground.

On another note, I am still a woman...Girl, young lady...Despite falling asleep.

I hope this isn't permanent.

I must say Japan really puts a lot of work into their airports. Sure, there's some airports in the states that are modern by all means, but they got noting on Tokyo Airport. The carpets look like blankets-super fluffy. The departure lounge is nothing short of spectacular the floor is tiled with light brown-opaque? It's very shiny and clean, I can see my reflection staring back at me even, nothing like the dark colored floors in the airports I'm used to that tend to have some dirt or grime.

There's also this structure above the security check that is three levels in all and stretches all the way down the long hall, way into the next corridor. I mean, I've been in Miam's airport, and Fort Lauderdale's airport, and even they can't-they don't compare to this.

The market place has to be the most dramatic for me-since this is my first time being here and all.

There are multiple shops. I'll even dare to say hundreds, stairs are leading up to the higher levels with railings that arched and looped with the same trajectory. There's a neat wagon thing in the center of the area-I think they may be selling something out of it? Anyways, the largest glass ceiling is above me, allowing the sun's light to drift in with magnificence. There's...An elevator at the end of the area that goes up to the top platform, and there's a railing that spirals down a few feet from it adding a nice touch.

I kind of walk in a daze.

This is really amazing.

I'm in Tokyo, Japan!

Needless to say there's a lot of people just coming and going. I mean there is a lot of people-I know there's like one billion people or close to it all living here, but this is just baffling. I can't get by without swaying passed or away from someone; I don't know if doing this is polite, but I'm not going to bump into them by accident, and they seem to give me the same courtesy and moved passed me-though not as fast as I do. There's foreigners of course, but they're probably going more towards the tourist sites and not really the residential areas where I will be spending the rest of my days.

They could also be waiting for their flights to come through.

Pain rifles through me followed by a loud gurgle.

"I better get something to eat before I think of doing anything else." I mutter, adjusting my duffel bag so the strap is on my left shoulder while hugging Stubby Bear to my chest. As soon as I find the chance I break off away from my current route, and start searching for some restaurant. Seeing as there's a lot of people moving towards the same direction, and the aroma of different foods are cooking-I'd say it has to be this way.

There is some English here, but a lot of the signs are of course, written in Japanese.

I don't know if they sell Ramen here, and not that cheap stuff I can get from the store back at home either. I'm talking about the real deal Ramen with the long handmade noddles, other toppings like shrimp or Tempura, and that broth that is meticulously prepared for the Ramen; but that's something that seems like it'd be more in a city or residential area and not in an airport. All these other businesses will lose out if there's a Ramen stand.

I stumble upon an array of restaurants. Some of them are open and some of them are closed. A few are authentic Japanese eateries-I think a few sell sushi, Sashimi, and all of that good stuff, but I can't order from these since they're closed. Bummer. But, I do spot a Mcdonalds like ten feet away from me. I'm not sure why I feel surprise at the fact there's a long line crowding at the front of the place. It is the same thing in the states, there's always a line at this place, whether you're in the drive thru or in the building; maybe it's a little foolish of me to think it'd be any different here.

Who can hate Mcdonald's?

Remembering my manners, I just wait patiently trying not to look as awkward as I do clutching my bear and having this duffel bag hanging off of my right shoulder, it's not heavy but I'm tired of it. Manners are a huge thing in this country. Now, I do have manners, and most parents in the states with any brains raise their children to have manners. But, there are some that don't have manners, and their children don't either.

"T-Thank you." I thank the cashier, hoping I don't sound completely inane while speaking Japanese or because I just stuttered. I didn't say the whole phrase for thank you, just the first part which is good enough. I give a quick bow before and after I grab my food. I don't do the low stereotypical Martial Arts bow, or a deliberate slow bow. I'd more than likely be making an ass out myself if I did either of those things. A small bow would do and it is common courtesy here to do so when you get your food.

I sit down in a corner away from everyone else and set Stubby Bear on the table right next to mine while letting my duffel bag drop onto the floor beside me..

"You can tell you're a foreigner."

"Clamp it."

I frown at Stubby Bear, well no shit they everyone can tell I'm a foreigner; I am very tall, and Japanese don't get this tall-I'm not seeing a lot Japanese men walking around at six foot three-let alone women. I have brown skin for too, and last I checked Japanese don't have brown skin, their skin is ivory. It looks really nice. Hello there, don't mind me, I'm just a little odd!

I scowl a bit working on setting down my array of food before me-I really hope I didn't make an ass out myself back there. They don't have Mcchickens here, so I just got the Mega Teriyaki, the Mega Mac, two other burgers, some fries and a few other things that sound really tasty.

Airplane food is the worst!

"What?" I ask, finishing chewing before I spring the question on Stubby Bear. He's just...Staring at me as I'm eating, almost like a dog begging if I didn't know any better. The only thing missing is a pool of drool coating his mouth and dripping onto the table. Now, I'm not a greedy person, but I get really pissed when people have their nose or hands in my food.

"Are you...Hungry?"

"That looks really good."

I blink and shake my head. Did Stubby Bear even have to eat? It doesn't make any sense if he has to, I mean he's an Entrails Animal! Stuffed animals don't need to eat to survive, they can just sit there. But, I feel myself start to waver as I look at Stubby Bear eyeing my burger and fries. Well, I guess it wouldn't hurt to share some with him...

"Here." I shift some fries in his direction, giving a quick glance around me. Okay, no one is around or watching me. I don't want to be known as the crazy foreigner speaking to a stuffed animal in a corner pretending to feed it.

"You're the best, girlie!" Stubby Bear cheers, helping himself to the fries I spared him.

I think he's actually eating it, because the fries are...Going inside of him.

"Do you really have to eat?" I raise an eyebrow, genuinely curious as well as puzzled.

"No, but just looking at all of the food you ordered...It looks really tasty."

I look over my array of food, most of it is gone due to my quick eating, but his comment makes me narrow my eyes just a little. I really don't see a problem with how much I ate considering I was just on a ridiculously long flight and the food had been anything but enjoyable in my opinion. My stomach had been growling for the last three hours of the flight, and then I think I was getting flight sick as we were landing.

I guess I must look odd with all of this food around me considering I am a woman, and what sort of woman would engorge herself? What woman would eat three things of fries? Yeah, well that's me right now.

"Are you going to eat the rest of that burger?"

"I plan to." I answer immediately, giving the big bear a dry look as I take a bite out of the very burger he just asked about. Now, I shared my fries-which is a huge thing because I love these fries, I also gave him some of the other burger. I'm not about to give him my whole mean, I'm hungry too damn it! I actually need food to live, you stuffed oaf!

This burger is really good, a lot of people would think since this in Japan it'd be weird, but they're so wrong-I'm savoring the taste, pointedly ignoring Stubby Bear.

"I want some of it."

I give him the rest since there isn't all that much left, and throw away the garbage.

"So, is there anything else you know?"

"If you ask me a question, and if it's within my knowledge I will answer it."

"Do you know anything more in depth about the three types of Kampfer?"

It'd definitely help me in the long run if I know all of these things instead of later on. I don't want to be caught off guard or unaware, it's bad enough I can be caught off guard by other Kampfer.

"Oh, yeah..." I sigh, feeling incredibly stupid.

Next thing on my list of things to do...

Have a private place so we can talk about things of this nature.

Better head to my apartment.

* * *

My parents must have pulled some strings because the landlord of the apartments wasn't all that shy in greeting me or showing me into the complex when we were done introducing ourselves. Now, I'm sure a lot of landlords would rather turn the other cheek than deal with the prospect of a foreigner living in their establishment-getting hurt in said place, more importantly, and I'm just lucky I have roof over my head. I didn't want to be stuck out in the rain.

So, my landlord's name is Okemi. She's short-standing about five foot four, ivory skinned, with dark eyes that held a bright light to them. Her hair is up in a loose fitting bun, unlike mine which I've just let do as it wants for the moment. I have her by several inches, I don't know anything else about her other than that, I have no desire to talk unless I absolutely have to, and she just seems like she's not a talker. The only thing I know is that she owns this place.

The place is extremely spacious, never mind the outside and how exotic it looks. There's a garden at the front, and there's even a red tiled roof before you actually step into the place! I'm twisting and turning now on the inside. Stepping up several flights of stairs, keeping my strides less than what they could be so I don't leave Okemi in the dust, and find entertainment by flicking my eyes on room numbers. We started at '100' and now we are on '435' to be exact. I'm a little puzzled as to why we just didn't take the elevator, it could have saved the both of us a lot of trouble having to climb up all these stairs-not that I mind, it'd just save time.

"This is your room."

"440." I nod slowly as Okemi opens the door and gestures for me to enter first.

It is very basic but roomy. There's light colored carpet save for in the kitchen where it is tiled. There's a large kitchen counter with drawers just a few inches from the living room with a stove top oven complete with burners. There's a hall adjacent to it with two doors running parallel. The first on the left is an empty room, the first on the right is the bathroom-there is a shower and bath, something I am thankful for since I prefer taking showers, and the last two are both bedrooms. Where one would spend the majority of their time and sleep, aside from the living room. So, three rooms, a kitchen, a living room, and a bathroom-that's not bad at all.

There's also a very large fridge with more than ample room for storage.

I need to hit one of the stores and fill this baby up with some food.

"Here are the keys. You have two." Okemi hands me a key chain while giving me quite the stern look. I guess people tend to lose their keys around here, or here is the off chance people's keys are being taken and thus she has been forced to make copies. I avoid he stern gaze, listening to her. "I'll have a fresh futon up in a few hours, unless you want to buy your own furniture."

"That'd b-be really n-nice, thank you."

"If you need anything else I live in the first room on the first floor to the left."

I fish out some money from my pocket-the first place I went to is the currency exchange place.

"Enjoy your stay."

I mutter under my breath while shutting the door. She was quick to get my money, I had to pay like four different things plus another thing. It didn't really set me back, but there had just been so much and I'm not even sure why it came to that much.

"Oh well, nothing left to do other then unpack."

After about twenty minutes I have just about all of my belongings organized and in order-I really need to get some dressers to store my clothes, but that can wait another day. My shirts are stacked and folded on one end of the wall with my pants and boxers, my socks and shorts are folded and paired right under them. I've made sure to give my DVD and tape collection its own space along with my DVD player-it stinks my TV couldn't fit, but I can still watch these off my laptop. My laptop is also in its own little space and lastly my skateboard is situated against the wall.

I sigh happily, and let myself fall on the floor spreading my arms out to my sides, it just feels good to relax, Jet lag is terrible.

"I'm so tired." Stubby Bear plops himself down next to me.

"You didn't even do anything."

He just shrugs before lying on his back and staring at the ceiling. "Being in that airplane was fun."

* * *

Thankfully it's the weekend, so I have the time to do important things. The first, take a shower along with catching up on sleep and writing to my family. The second, order furniture. The third, get groceries, eventually. It must look odd for me to be hauling my own furniture into the building, but I am using the elevator to get them up the rest of the way, it's not like I'm carrying them up the stairs. I couldn't honestly care less what people thought, but moving furniture has always been more of a man's thing. The dressers had to be the most awkward to get in and carry, besides the couch, but I manage.

It became a matter of setting up the furniture once I got it in. The couch went right in the living room near the back wall. The dressers were put in the first room to the left, where I would be sleeping if I don't fall asleep on the couch first.

I take a seat on the plush couch, sighing as I feel myself sink into it. Getting all of my clothes situated within their respective drawers took a long while, and getting my DVD and tape collection organized on the top of the dresser took a long time as well. I have a lot of tapes, before I stuffed them into the duffel bag they were in one of those large plastic bins-I have quite a bit of DVDs, but nowhere near as close to how many tapes I have.

I also hooked up a fifty inch widescreen TV in the living room along with my DVD player.

So, this is pretty sweet.

"So, are you going to ask me more questions?"

I look at Stubby Bear, turning away after a few seconds as I gaze outside. I didn't think he knew anymore than what he told me, thus that was the total limit of his knowledge. But, perhaps I had been wrong-am wrong, and he knows a lot more than what he said.

I guess he can read my facial expression well, because he speaks up. "If it is within my knowledge I can answer it."

"The Kampfer types, do you know anything more about them..."

"Details?"

I nod. Is he a mind reader? No, that is impossible considering he is a stuffed animal-I'm not going say the last part aloud of course. I do want details on the types of Kampfer. There's the Schwert who uses swords, the Ghwer who guns and long ranged weapons, and lastly there is the Zauber which uses magic and is multi-ranged. I'm the last one so really any information pertaining to this will be more than acceptable, but I won't remain ignorant of the Schwert and Gewher. I bet a Ghwer could have a rocket launcher or a mac ten-that'd be so unfair, honestly.

I bet a Schwert could have an extra long katana, and that is also unfair.

There is also the question of why and perhaps how I am a Black Kampfer, who these White Kampfer are, and why it is that we're even around.

"Is there a difference in reaction time between the three types? Are one's reflexes more keen than the others? Can a Gewher modify their weapons or do they remain the same?"

"As a Kampfer you already have enhanced speed and enhanced strength. You can move immensely fast as you've already seen at your old house, and you can also jump incredibly high. So, naturally your five senses especially sight and hearing increase as well as your sixth sense, or intuition to compensate for this increase. You also have enhanced or accelerated healing-broken bones will heal within a few days, and minor wounds heal nearly instantly. It's rumored that Red Kampfer are three times faster than Blue Kampfer, but I think with training the gap can be bridged. It all depends on the person. Unlike you, a Gewher and Schwert have what they have, meaning the weapon they use is set and they can't change or modify it."

I stay silent, just absorbing the information being explained slowly and carefully.

"It is rare, but in extreme cases the transformation can be more than physical. For instance, if someone is timid and shy-when they transform they'll be the exact opposite of that personality. If the person's body isn't suited for combat the transformation will make that person's body suited for combat-these are just in extreme cases and it is to ensure that person can fight without any restraint or worry. And, for guys it's transforming into a girl, because that is the rules-only girls can become Kampfer."

That's a little surprising...I had no idea the transformation could alter a person's personality. I mean I don't really feel any different than usual.

"Can I sense other Kampfer?"

"You're inquisitive." Stubby Bear comments, looking up at me for a few seconds before lying down."Yes you can, you'll even be able to feel them when they're near if you're bracelet doesn't start glowing like I said before, but it'll be out of your control it-it'll just happen. It'll be...Strange at first for you, but through training you can hone the skill so it's like second nature."

"That is a relief." It'd be terrible if I'm walking around blind more than I am now. At least there is a way I'll be able to feel if any Kampfer are near me, how I'll know or what that feeling will be is as good as a guess as any, but I'll trust my instincts. The skill sounds like very hard to master completely, but I'm up for the challenge. "And, what about these White Kampfer?"

"There have been times that Red Kampfer and Blue Kampfer stop fighting and unite to fight against the Moderators. The White Kampfer are like enforcers, you could say. Which brings me to my next subject. The Red Kampfer and Blue Kampfer that are here in Japan have stopped fighting, that is why the White Kampfer are around, and that is why you are here."

This throws me for a loop. It's not the Red and Blue factions ending their conflict and raging against the machine, it's not the White Kampfer being enforcers, and it's not even about the current Red Kampfer and Blue Kampfer ceasing their conflict to rage against the machine. It is about the fact that I am here at this very moment, that I've been thrown into this, and am part of this new team of Kampfer that hasn't been around in who knows how long...The possibilities for this are endless, and just about all of them I don't wish to entertain for a second.

Am I some rogue? Do I kill everyone or do I spare everyone?

Not like it matters because I have no intention of going along with it, but if I at least know...

I get the feeling I'm always going to have more questions than answers.

"Why am I a Black Kampfer?"

"That, I do not know." Stubby Bear answers honestly.

"Do you know anything about the White Kampfer or me...Are we different than Red Kampfer and Blue Kampfer?"

It's an odd feeling to feel like I myself am a stranger to well...Myself.

"White Kampfer tend to be just slightly stronger because they're enforcers. White Kampfer also don't transform into their Kampfer counterparts, they stay as they were before they became Kampfer. As for Black Kampfer, the only thing that I know is that they transformed as well, were by far the quickest of the Kampfer and were very deft. Their physical strength and flexibility was also incredible, even by Kampfer standards. I can't remember the last time there had actually been one though, so I'm quite puzzled. But, I can assure you that you are not the first to be a Black Kampfer."

I resist the urge to snort at his last statement. Well, you're not the only one. I've been puzzled for a few days now and there's no sign of that ebbing a bit. It's only going to get worse, and on top of all of this I have to go to school. It's really too much for me to be worrying about something so trivial when I'm basically in this life or death battle royal-or what will be a battle royal if things continue on the way that they have been before my arrival. Yeah, school is like the last thing I should be worrying about now.

The last thing.

So, the Red Kampfer and Blue Kampfer have ceased their fighting and formed a truce of sorts. Apparently-clearly this goes against what the Moderators want so now they've sent in their little enforcers the White Kampfer. The White Kampfer are also very different from myself and the Red and Blue-for starters they don't transform like we do, they just remain the same as they were before. Now, I don't know if this would involve the personality change or not, I would think that's right across the board even for a rainbow Kampfer. If their bodies or personalities aren't suited for combat they are changed accordingly.

Or, it could be completely random.

To make matters even worse and even more confusing I'm part of a fourth team of Kampfer. An unknown fourth team that Stubby Bear has little knowledge of other than the basics. I feel somewhat better that I'm not the first Black Kampfer to ever exist in this whole mess, but why I am a Black Kampfer is yet a mystery, and that makes me a little uneasy since there's so little information and facts on it. Am I an enforcer? I am the one that kills all of them? Do I just mind my own business and do what I do best while skirting around this whole conflict?

Do the Moderators have some twisted and sick sense of humor that they decided to put me through this just for laughs?

"The Moderators don't do things without a reason. For no reason. Just because you or I don't know the reason or reasons for them doing what they do, doesn't mean that what they do isn't without a reason. Without a purpose. You _are_ a Black Kampfer for a reason. Now, I don't know why you are, and obviously you don't. But, you are a Black Kampfer for a reason. Also, like I said before Kampfer tend to gather in one place."

It makes me feel so much better that there is some unknown reason for me being this way. Not. This is like holding up a carrot so high, watching me jump with all of my might to get it, but I come nowhere even close to getting it. It's like teasing a dog with a treat and not giving it to them in the end after all of that teasing. Except in my case I can't charge or bite like the dog can because the Moderators aren't even here on earth-they're somewhere else completely. So, I can't lash out against them in such a direct and vicious manner as a dog going on the attack, but I can grind their gears and not do what I'm supposed to do. I don't know what that is, but I'm not going to go along with it in any case.

His last statement brings up a horrible point.

"Are you telling me I'm going to be going to school with them?"

"Pretty much."

"This is ridiculous." I grab the sides of my head, careful not to pull my hair too hard.

"Where are you going?" Stubby Bear hurries after me as I throw my thick jacket on and slip on my skate shoes.

"Skate off a bridge and hope I hit my head a million times."

"Really?

"I'm going to get some Italian, there's this place right up the street...I think. Do you want anything?" I ask while nestling my skateboard under my armpit and trying to remember the exact route to the Italian shop. I don't want to get lost, again, and while the people I come across were polite enough to point me in the right direction I don't want to keep asking them where this is with my less than perfect Japanese.

"I'll have some of your food-"

"No, because I am not going to give you more of my meal than what I eat myself." I frown, setting my board on the floor while keeping my right foot on the tail, and cross my arms over my chest. He had one of the burgers I ordered at the airport in addition to a whole thing of fries that I had been indulging in-until I seen him staring at me with invisible drool coming out of his mouth desiring to have some of my meal. Which, I don't mind sharing, but I like to eat full meals too!

"Just get me whatever you're having, I don't know the names." He waves his paw almost like he is dismissing me. "Before you go can you turn on the TV?"

"Sure." I turn it on.

I'm glad Stubby Bear can adjust so easily.

* * *

I love skateboarding.

Always have.

It's not a team sport or one that forces organization. You don't have to be skinny or tall, short or stocky, or anything of the sort like with football and basketball. The only thing you need is the balls to do tricks, a skateboard, and the ability to fall correctly. The last one sounds pretty funny, I'm sure, but there's certain ways to fall so you minimize injuries as much as possible.

I bring my knees up to my chest as I bust a tre-flip. The board goes through it's amazing flip and I catch it with my front foot before leveling out and setting my back foot on it before I land on the ground.

Four stair owned.

I have no idea how a stuffed animal can come to life, yet alone talk and eat like me, but I'm not going to ponder on it. I just need to come to terms with the fact that I will always have more questions than answers when it comes to this whole mess, and the more answers I get the more questions I will have. Keeping this in mind I push a bit harder and Ollie higher as I clear curbs, fire hydrants, and stair sets. I even manage to fly above one of those orange construction things and it's vertical!

I do a few grinds giving into my adrenaline, nothing hard like a smith of feeble, just the basic 50-50, 5-0, and even get in a nosegrind.

My apartment is a bit away from the rest of the residential area where they have the shops and stores, the only thing around me are other apartments and houses of people who live here or are just visiting. It takes about twenty minutes to break through the quiet and tranquil into the noise and chaos. It gives me ample time to trick and work on my technical skills. I'm not going to bust primos and rails, landing like that is hard and I've always sort of panicked or just can't balance enough to continue the slide and trick out.

I'm not Rodney Mullen.

I swerve away from someone. My wheels make a loud but dull sound as I carve across the cement and do a quick shuv-it switching my tail to nose and nose to tail. _It has to be around here somewhere..._ I look to and fro at the numerous shops. Some of them are clothes stores, others are video game stores or having to do with the like, and there are a few food shops that sell bakery, but I can't find the Italian shop!

I don't know what the opinion-or view of skateboarding is here. People in Japan are sort of strict, I doubt they'd want to deal with the popping and smacking of the skateboard as it hits the cement, or if someone muffs on the trick. Even more importantly, I severely doubt they're going to let anyone skate on any sort of property. It's like this in the states too, and a few times a stupid security guard tried to take my board, but I'd always snatch it away and run off while the curse at me and tell me to never come back.

There are some people here that can skate really good.

And, I don't need to say it, but there is incredible breakdancers here.

But, I doubt people would be...Lenient on them-me using rails and ledges as obstacles to do tricks on or over.

I coast for several more minutes, doing tricks as I go, and dodging cars whenever I come across them-there's a lot. I bust a Hardflip over a seven stair- and land bolts.

"Bad ass!"

I catch the sight of light blue hair soon after I land, my celebration being cut abruptly short, and immediately try to slow down. Seeing as it is not working in my favor I jump off my board. Pain and more than anything a sort of awareness of my fall makes me rolls across the cement for a second before I strain flipping myself back onto my feet, wiping off my pants and jacket while I kick out my legs.

Damn it!

Who would be stupid enough to be right in my way as I am skateboarding, easily going over fifth teen miles, flying down the street like I have a death wish and am high on adrenaline?

"That stinks..." I mutter while staring at my now cut hand-they're not bleeding but my skin is broke so to speak and I can see the other layer. To my shock it heals-just like Stubby Bear said in just a few seconds. I retrieve my board hastily before a car runs over it and turn to see just who got in my way in the first place...Or me going into their path while they were on their trek, let's just keep it ambiguous for the moment.

"Why'd you get in the way like that!?"

"You're the one flying down the street not paying attention."

I keep my breath in,, a little stunned; I observe just who it is that decided to grace me with their presence by getting into my way. It is a girl, about my age or maybe just a year younger. She has this amazing light blue hair kept a bit short with the majority of it kept up with this white band-she must be a tomboy or have that quality about her since she did cut it so short.

I run my eyes over her body-she has a very athletic build, she definitely takes care of herself and has to be the top mark in whatever sport's team she's joined. That cocky gleam in her equally light blue eyes speaks of her confidence. I'm more full and curvy than she is, what's that word...Voluptuous, I think it is...

I'm also taller by a good few or so inches. I'm still about six feet, surprisingly.

"Skateboarding? I know people do it here, but I always thought that's more a guy sort of thing."

I startle hearing her voice. It's so smooth and cool.

"Gender doesn't matter. There's professional women skateboarders."

She looks me over before smiling. I don't know if I should feel unease or on edge, but I am feeling a little weird.

"You must be a foreigner."

I don't meet her eyes and just bob my head the least I possibly can.

It's clear I am a foreigner.

"You must be looking for the Italian shop being all the way over here, right? Well, my father happens to own it and I work there after school and on weekends. I was just on my way there now since my shift starts. I can show you the way, if you'd like?"

I look at her, adverting my gaze after a few seconds as she stares into my eyes without a care and smiles. It'd be really nice if she did show me the way so I'm not flying down the sidewalks and empty side streets at twenty something miles, while it's great for my skateboarding and tricks, it's not great with the fact that I'm hungry. "S-Sorry for almost r-running into y-you, by the way. That'd also be nice if you'd show me the way."

She tilts her head. Her glorious light blue hair tilts with her, covering one ear. "Don't worry about it, but you should put your hair up when you're doing that. Just follow me it's a few blocks up ahead."

I follow her, keeping my board in my hands now instead of riding it. We're getting near busier streets, and I don't need the bane of the deck being snapped in half by a driver that can't stand stupid skaters like me.

"What's your name, by the way?"

"Uh..."

I stare at her and she stares at me.

"Cat got your tongue?" She flashes a cocky smile, crossing her arms over her chest.

I look at her carefully and contemplate if I should tell her. I wonder if she'll laugh or give me the weird looks airport security did when they seen my name on my Driver's License. She does seem like the type that'd rub my face in it and tease me relentlessly, or maybe I'm wrong and she'll just laugh at how strange and out of this world it sounds. Or, what if she's one of those enemy Kampfer I have to watch out for?! No, I'm just being paranoid, she can't be one of them, otherwise she'd be attacking me right now. And, I never judge people. It's not my right.

"My name is Andrew Ambrose."

"That's a boy's name."

I hear her little snort.

"My father thought he was going to have a boy, he refused to change my name."

"Sounds rough."

"I manage. If anyone really bothers me I punch them in the mouth"

"My name is Hitomi Minagawa, it's a pleasure to meet you. Andrew Ambrose."

"Your name means iris or pupil-how lame is that!?"

"Not as lame as having a boy name like you do."

"Well played. It's nice to meet you, too." I return the polite gesture the best I can, but my less than perfect Japanese is catching up to me. And, my need to retort is also starting to brew a bit more-her name is a lot lamer than mine! Though, this girl doesn't seem to have any trouble understanding me, which I am thankful for, and if I don't know any better I'd say she's even a bit amused with my performance. Learning a new language is really, really hard! Even though being in my Kampfer form makes it easier.

She probably also found it funny that I fell the way I did.

"Japanese isn't your first language, I take it."

I clutch my grip tape a bit harder and don't even look at Hitomi's pants. I just keep my eyes on the cement ahead of me and my torn up shoes. I knew I would stand out because my height and skin color, but also because just how rough or wrong my Japanese is. I'm pretty sure I have the pronunciations right because nobody has given me weird or appalled looks when I am speaking to them, but it is clear that Japanese is not my first language. I took Spanish my freshmen year and failed that shit. I've never been good with other languages, and Japanese is harder than Spanish-easily.

"It's not." I admit. I fail at Spanish, I took a class my freshmen year and failed-I can understand the bare bone basics, but that is it. If someone started speaking Spanish all fast I will be lost and staring at them like an idiot, because clearly I can't understand them. It's taking everything I have to get all these basic phrases and sentences, and I'm close to stuttering repeatedly which is just plain embarrassing.

"I can tell, your Japanese is really rough. But, I can understand what you are saying."

"Just rub it in w-why don't you?" I look her in the eyes, finally, and pull my lips down tightly, suppressing my annoyance as she flashes a cocky smile. I think I was correct with my earlier observation in that Hitomi finds amusement in me stumbling over my words. Probably found it funny I fell too.

"Well, anyways here we are."

The Italian shop is quite big about two stories and looks to be very spacious on the inside. The front window is huge, and I struggle to read the writing plastered on the top of it. There's a middle aged man working away behind the counter, and I can see a few cooks in the back going about their tasks diligently. Cooking is very much like art to me-when a person cooks they can put on a show and dazzle people with their skills. A lot of people think throwing pizza dough and catching it is so easy, but when they try it more often than not they tear it because they don't have gentle fingers or they just can't get the throw right if their lives depended on it.

I step in just as she is about to gesture me to come in with her hand not so patiently. She vanishes in the back and comes out wearing the same uniform as her father-I'm a little surprised this is her father because he doesn't have light blue hair or eyes, but he does have an athletic build despite being so old and has a brightness to his eyes-a trait that Hitomi inherited.

"Good evening."

"Good evening." I respond back to the kind man.

"I'll take over for now, father."

So, I end up getting quite a few things, and am waiting patiently for my food to be finished.

"So, do you run too, or do you just skateboard?"

I look at Hitomi, raising my eyebrow. Now, I don't find it strange if a girl likes skateboarding, but some of them just don't care for it. It's not like they actually skate or anything, but considering I am...I still have my interests and one of them is skateboarding. Another is weightlifting-need to get a new Olympic set speaking of which. Another is running, though I've never joined a track team or anything like that.

"I do a lot of things, I guess. I've never been on a track team or anything like that, but I do like to run. Well, I think the technical term is sprint."

"You should join the Track and Field team or club of whichever school you're enrolling in here, it's a really big thing and you have a lot of potential. You're tall, so you must have long strides."

* * *

Okay besides that encounter going from comically hilarious to strange-Hitomi hadn't taken her eyes off of me even as I was leaving; I am freaking out.

It's close to the freak out level I had when I woke up as a girl...

Still haven't changed back, by the way.

My hair is soaking wet as I run my brush through it, curls even thicker and more abundant than before. It is extremely painful getting this thing caught in any knots-even the smallest knots. I'm wearing a pair of blue jeans, boxers because I don't have any...Panties, and a plain black t-shirt to finish it all of. It's the day...I'm going to Seitetsu whatever the rest is called to hand in my enrollment forms.

I'm really considering my options here, and one of them is jumping off the nearest bridge.

"I don't think I'm going to go through with this."

"I never took you for a skipper."

"Buddy, you have no idea. You haven't seen my record. Besides, I can't go there...They're going to be expecting well...the guy me, and I'm not a guy right now!"

Stubby Bear points his paw at me. "You just need to come up with an excuse or reason as to why the guy you isn't showing up and you are. I'm sure you'll think of something."

It's a pretty good idea, I admit. However, there's very few excuses I can think of at this moment as to why...My name is still Andrew, and if anyone has a lick of common sense they will be able to put two and two together. Which, in short means I am already screwed or will be screwed when it comes time to articulate these excuses. The only one that I can see working would be posing as a girlfriend for lack of a better term and handing the enrollment papers in, in his absence. They must have my records, and know that I am a habitual truant.

But, this excuse could make things even worse in the long run.

"Fuck!"

Maybe I'm just not going to go.

"You're very crude for a girl."

"I am not-"

"I'm going to laugh if you really say that...Anyways, why don't you just say that you're his girlfriend or something and turning in the enrollment forms in his place? They must have gotten your records by now-every school here has, so they already know of your habit of not bothering to show up or deciding to leave not even halfway into the school day."

To quell the burning heat in my stomach I massage my forehead roughly. I really wish I had more options at my choosing other than this one. It's the only one that I could think of that'd actually work, and it's the same for Stubby Bear evidently. It's a basic cover, I'm the girlfriend and me showing up puts things into perspective and I remain covered in that one aspect so I'm not found out. My bases are all loaded and accounted for so to speak. But still, I wish there were more options at my disposal other than this one-which is so glaringly obvious by the way.

"What am I supposed to do if I see another Kampfer?" I ask, unable to shake the blanket of uneasiness that has graced me. I really don't want to fight anyone, let alone another Kampfer-I have been training, trying to summon my water at will and change it to anything I please, but it's hard. It takes so much focus, and sometimes I lose my hold on that inner power-that heat. Of course it's gone beyond nothing but control. I haven't blasted a whole section of this apartment off like my old house nor have I created a huge spiral like then either.

"Fight them."

I'm not going to catch a break. I'm still a girl and there's no way I can avoid fighting other Kampfer-which all go to the same school I am about to be heading towards. Talk about walking into the lion's den or the hornet's nest.

"You also may want to buy women clothes."

I leave before he can even finish that sentence.

Yeah, fat chance of that happening. I am not going to wear panties or bra, I'll just stick with my boxers and for my boobs well...They're going to remain as they have been up to this point. I'm not going to embrace this change-maybe if I could transform back into a guy I'd be more open minded, but as it stands I can't transform back or haven't transformed back to a guy, and am showing no signs of turning back to a guy.

Seitetsu is about a half hour away from my apartment, maybe a little more judging from the maps. My best bet would be to catch the bus since it passes right by the school on its route, but considering it's about noon and they're likely packed with people getting lunch I will have to pass on that. The second would be the subway, but I am not going to be squeezing into anything. I don't like being in crowded spaces.

Besides, I normally got around by skateboarding if I wasn't driving in the states, and driving here isn't really a viable option unless I want to pop an artery or rip the steering wheel out. So, skateboarding it is.

Seitetsu Gakuin High School isn't what I was expecting. In fact, it's so far from what I was expecting that I've been blown out of the water. The most noticeable thing is this giant cement wall-it has to be hundreds of feet tall cutting off one side of the school from the other with layers of barbed wire _and_ razor wire; it's not the cheap stuff either. The school doesn't even look like a school, it looks more like a mansion if you ask me. Three odd shaped buildings are the tallest, standing head and shoulders above the rest, the buildings with all of the classrooms are blocks wide and just tall-they tower high in the sky. Windows spot the the entire thing like little flies.

There has to be _thousands_ of rooms. It's crazy-the first high school I went to there were about three thousand something kids in total, not including the staff and everybody else, but it was rectangular. The inside was just the same as the outside design wise. Numbers and rooms were easy to find, and every route always had a right of left turn, with the halls branching out in two directions.

But, this place looks like it has a _campus._ It's nothing like the first school I went to. It easily dwarfs that high school, and dwarfs the second high school I went to.

There's buildings everywhere-tall and just sophisticated looking. There's a neat little arch right at the entrance before the routes split with the school's name painted or written on it.

Now I can see why this is one of the best-if not the best private school in Japan.

 _Do I go to the girl side or boy side...Maybe I should wrap my boobs and put on a wig..._ I shake my head not even a second later. Yeah, like I'm going to be able make my chest look flat-even with this baggy jacket and the baggy shirt and sweater underneath it my girls are still popping out. It feels very, very weird, and it does effect my balance to some extent-there's a lot more weight on my front than before.

"Maybe I should just turn back." I mutter, shifting my weight back so the tail of my board is resting on the cement. It's not too late, I can go back to my apartment and just be done with this. Maybe I'll get a job being a Ramen chef and open up my own shop later in life and make a fortune in the end. Maybe I could go back home-catch the soonest flight and high tail it out of here.

But, that's not going to happen, and I already know.

"That would be a bad idea."

I jump, almost falling off my board in the process, but I do a quick pivot and turn.

My eyes fall onto who startled me so badly, and it takes all I have not to bolt in the other direction. I almost move on instinct, I'm so tempted to and the impulse fires through my nerves making my heart pick up in speed. Something is holding me back from darting away back in the direction I came. I don't know what it is, but I'm frozen in place.

The girl is tall, not quite as tall as me, but I only have her by just a few inches.

Blue eyes and purple hair in a hime hairstyle.

Her outfit is a school girl outfit consisting of a black short skirt that is just a bit too short for my taste, what looks like thigh length leggings that are sheer black in color, a black pair of slip on shoes-I think, and a white top complete with a tie her body doesn't even capture my attention save for just a second, and she's quite shapely as well as athletic, no slouch physically.

But, I take notice only because my eyes shifted for a second-my only focus is her hair and eyes. Those piercing blue eyes and curtain of purple hair.

The only thing missing is that cold smile as she corners me about to strangle me with that menacing chain.

 _It...Can't be..._

It's the girl from my dream!

That barbed wire and razor wire fence...

 _Fuck!_

"May I ask who you are?"

I bite my tongue, hard.

This _can't_ be happening right now!

"Oh, how rude of me. I am Shizuku Sangō president of the Seitetsu Student Council. I have perfect attendance and am one of the highest scoring students here at this school, pleasure to meet you."

"I'm...Andrew's girlfriend. He didn't feel like coming, so I came to hand in his enrollment forms. My name is Brianna." I lie smoothly, not telling her that my name is in fact Andrew. But, this girl is sharp...She's staring at me intently; starting to make me feel uneasy-I idly pop my tail off the ground getting my board surprisingly high off of the ground. If I stutter or fumble once with my Japanese she's going to crack me like an egg.

I literally can't believe I just said that.

"No last name?"

"Lopez."

"Hmmm. What is the reason he didn't come to hand in his enrollment forms?"

"You must have seen his record, so you already know that he skips and rarely shows up."

"Yes, I must say he's got the quite record. Deplorable attendance to say the least. It would be strange if you're actually Andrew and lying right now."

"Yeah, no kidding."

"And, Andrew is a boy, and it's a boy name. You're Brianna Lopez, and you're a girl, as that is a girl name."

"Mhm." I grudgingly agree, subtly drawing my focus inward on that familiar heat.

I'm about to be in some real shit.

"You're wearing guy clothes."

"They're comfortable." I shrug as she tilts her head at me. I'm not sure if she's confused or puzzled with my response, but as long as I can help it I will continue to wear guy clothes and not invest in any girl clothes. It may sound strange but it is true, I can just throw them on without much hassle because they're so baggy.

"Do you want to hear something a little interesting? It's about this school."

I suck in a breath as my heart picks up in speed even more. It's drumming in my chest and in my throat, anymore and it'll be lodged there next choking me to death.

"There is no Brianna Lopez at either of the schools Andrew went to, though I know both are common first and last names in the states. You either met Andrew elsewhere or..."

The next thing I know I'm being wrapped in chains and I let out a loud yelp, not foolish enough to fight against them physically, but I try to overwhelm them-water bursts around me like a flood soaking me and everything else for easily twenty feet-this woman's hair is glowing before turning white-just on the underside. She pulls up her sleeve revealing the red bracelet.

I back flip sliding away on the water as it kicks itself up, watching warily as she gathers her chain-those three pointed dagger things clasped tightly in both of her hands.

"Hello, Andrew Ambrose. I've been expecting you, in fact I've been waiting here for you all day."

I grit my teeth, glaring at her before I shift my attention onto my board...I'm going to have to put that in the oven, or get a whole new complete because that thing will be waterlogged. This woman already knew that I'd be here!? Did she somehow remember that she had been in my dream, or did she dream the same dream, or what the hell happened!?

"Y-You're a R-Red Kampfer!"

That small, frightening smile graces her beautiful face.

I can feel myself swallow; my heart nestles itself right in my gut.

"I need you to come with me and answer a few questions. Will you do this the easy way or the hard way?"

"You should know me well enough, what do you think?"

I flex my hand, wincing as a surge of water forms in the center of it and spins faster and faster each second-it feels like I'm touching a block of ice, but it's wet and more like a liquid than a solid.

"Hard way it is, I was hoping that'd be your choice."


	3. Chapter 3

Shit!

Shit!

Shit!

This can't be happening right now.

This really can't be happening _right_ now!

There's always that part in movies. It's usually suspense or horror movies. Anyways, there's always that part where there is that one person who just has shitty luck and they're face to face with the monster killer. They do one of three things. Scream and get killed-this is the most frequent and understandable ending, considering that people freeze when they are faced with such situations or feel fear in general. Now, granted if someone sees Freddy or Jason staring at them, they are going to scream their lungs out and then be cut to pieces.

The second thing that they'll do is scream and run away. Now, this makes sense since everyone's first instinct is to usually run when faced with danger instead of fighting. Now, this one has to be the most hilarious because no matter how fast and hard they run, they'll continue to scream and give away their position. They could clear miles and be in the clear, far away from the deranged killer, but because they can't stop screaming they get caught...And, well get killed soon after. Running is also a bad idea because if fear is leading the person it can do them in and actually lead them right into the killer's hands.

The third is fighting. This can go one of two ways. The first way is the person succeeds and kills the killer, usually beating them to death with a 2x4 or taking a chainsaw, in that one movie that girl hung Jason-pushed him right off the top of that barn. Granted, that did not kill him and there were like four more movies after that one, that girl still fought and survived in the end. The person that decides to fight usually survives all of the chaos and angst. The second way it goes is the person fails and ends up getting destroyed. Jason folded that one dude up that was laying on that bed, I still shiver just thinking about that. But, to fight in a situation like that takes experience-it is so easy to freeze up.

There's usually not a fourth option-but if there had to be one it'd be driving off before the killer ever catches his stride and avoid the whole situation from the beginning.

Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of options.

My heart is fluttering-almost like it is a caged bird trying to escape its cage. It's rapid, frantic, persistent; ly lungs are burning, feeling surprisingly frigid despite the sweat pouring down my face.

I'm going with the second and third option-run and fight.

I don't have a fourth option unfortunately-should have bought a car!

I jump before she can wrap the chains around my ankle and sprint up the side of one building before lunging for another-well that's neat I can defy gravity for just a few moments at the very least. A rather big cement beam flies into my vision. I have a few choices, but only one of them will work ultimately. Thinking quickly, and keeping in mind that I'm still being pursued-I jump low and slide on one knee, pressing myself up with one arm and spin, throwing myself to the side barely missing the chain that would have wrapped perfectly around my torso.

Gazing behind me just long enough to see that menacing three pronged thing coming right for my head, I shift again before spinning low and kicking off. Hairs stand up all over my body and I can feel the whoosh of air kicking up at me with more and more vigor. I flex my hand, sending a few balls of water hurdling towards my pursuer. She barely even tries as she ducks under on letting it splash against a nearby wall, and spin off to the side, swiping through the other two leaving the halves to splash onto the cement harmlessly. I don't care where I'm aiming, as long as it's on this woman's person and keeps her at a distance.

This woman is pursuing me-I'm very fast in my own right, but she is keeping pace with me. I don't know what she wants, and I don't care to find out since that is going to include being strangled with that chain. I cringe, clenching my teeth and rolling forward hearing the whistle of blades cutting and the force those lethal daggers cutting just above my head.

"Shit!" I exclaim, feeling the steady trickle of blood flowing out from my right cheek. I ignored it for about thirty seconds before I wipe at it persistently, kicking up my speed despite my heart's and lungs' fervent protests. My legs force ahead, shock waves brimming up my feet smashing all the way into my knees with each step as lactic acid starts engorging me like a stuffed turkey, and the burn is just agonizing, but I push forward, gritting my teeth when I feel myself almost remain at the same speed.

I accelerate, tempted to throw my jacket off.

This is terrible, just terrible. This woman is trying to kill me, strangle me with that dangerous looking chain, or skewer me with those wicked prong things. I know she's trying to kill me because how fast and _serious_ she's moving. I've been in more than my fair share of fights, granted they were fist fights, but I know if someone is trying to kill me or not. If they're after blood I can _feel_ it.I know when that one dude stomped on me he had been fully intending to hit my entire face with his foot, and not my chest-and this woman is set on getting a hold of me.

There's Japanese writing everywhere and I can't understand any of it, not on a sign ahead of me-so I kick it down, surprised at how it just snaps in half at the middle and goes flying like a torpedo. The stupid thing flies through a cement ledge near the top of the roof, sending it crumbling down. I can spot the glint of her blades, like a violent glare from the sun itself, and lunge away sliding on all fours on the other side of the roof and make a beeline for the roof.

If I can outpace this woman she won't be able to get a hold of me. The only reason I've evaded her this long is because my speed, height, water projectiles, and sheer will to not be caught. It's taking all I have to just stay a centimeter ahead of her, if I drop my guard for just a second she will capitalize, and I will be suffering in some way, shape, or form. I jump across the stupid tennis courts-why the hell are these even on the roof!? It makes no friggin sense!

I stumble forward-thighs heavy as lead, calves solid as rock, and I hastily slam both hands on the ground. I steel myself as my sight inverts and my stomach dips from the sudden change. A shallow breath escapes my lungs as I land.

Just a bit more.

I skid to a stop, barely halting just before I hit the roof's edge. It has to be a hundred foot drop if not more, easily. Kampfer or not, if I hit the ground I will splatter like a big being squashed. I have no viable options here-if I surrender I'm at this girl's mercy, and I don't want to be there. If I continue to resist I will eventually tire out-I already feel incredibly strained. My whole body is heavy and I still can't catch my breath.

I suck in shaky breaths, closing my eyes in an attempt to fight off the heat in my chest. I shift my focus ahead of me, watching with shaking hands and trembling arms as the woman advances on me slowly. It's almost like she's enjoying this. Enjoying my fear. Enjoying the look on my face which must be delightful for her and downright shameful for me. She smiles a small smile, showing off her teeth, and her blue eyes glint before growing even more cold than before.

"I'll give you credit, you're quick, and your strength is admirable. Your Zauber is quite strong. But..."

 _It's not enough..._ I finish silently.

"Do you still desire to do this the hard way? All I want is to ask you a few questions."

I grimace against the pain in the soles of my feet; shifting them slowly.

My only option is to put a premature end to this. I can either drown myself in a ball of water-I doubt I can even form a little of it, being in my current condition, and so that leaves just jumping off of this building as my only option. It was quite something going through all of this, even though it ended quite quick in the end it was just a strange turn of events. I must be special, I don't think everyone goes through what I've been going through for the last several days.

The wind pushes against me fiercely, carrying me off even faster, determined to see this through. I'll never get to see my family again, nor my dogs, nor my cats, nor will I be able to see Stubby Bear again.

I crack open one of my eyes, hearing the menacing clang of that chain wrapping around me. My legs are pinned together, no matter how hard I thrash I can't even budge and my arms are forced behind my back next while my wrists are locked into place. She's wrapping me up like I'm a Christmas present! I'm dangling just forty feet short of the ground-the cold hard cement that would be painted red if these chains never got to me.

I strain to breathe, and the chains only hug around me even tighter than before forcing me look up at my savior. But, between the glare and sudden jolt I feel at looking from such an odd angle like this I put my head back down.

I suck in a breath, pain jolts through me setting my nerves on fire, and I scream. The chain is ridiculously tight against my chest making breathing very painful and laborious-more than it has been, the chains are especially tight around my boobs and neck area, and since both my legs and arms are totally restricted along with my wrists and ankles I can't do anything.

I continue sucking in oxygen, screaming each time I feel the chain jolt and the ground get bigger and bigger. It pains my lungs, but I badly need the oxygen. It burns so bad I can feel tears pooling in my eyes, but I keep them at bay. I find no sense in struggling against my bindings at this point-my entire body is practically wrapped up and even if it wasn't I'm too exhausted and winded to offer up more than a halfhearted wiggle which wouldn't even budge these chains.

It takes about two minutes, but I'm finally dangling in front of Shizuku as she holds me in place. That smile remains on her face as she tilts her head at me, taking a few steps back so I'm dangling over the cement on the roof and not over the cement. I'm glad she finds amusement in this because I certainly don't! I still can't catch my breath, and I feel like my head is about to explode from being dangled so long.

"This was entertaining."

"I'm glad...You think so." I strain to get my words out.

"So, do you still want to do this the hard way?"

I don't know if she is serious right now or just toying with me. I'd like to think she is toying with me, considering she clearly has me caught, and I can't do a thing to escape. There's not much I can do other than breathe, move my head, and blink my eyes. If I want to do things the hard way it's not even a possibility at this point, I'm at her mercy-and I just hope she shows me some mercy. Not squeeze me until I pop open or until my organs come flying out of my mouth. But, I know if she wanted to kill she would have five minutes ago-she would have left me hit the cement, not wrap me up.

"What do you want?" I ask, straining even more than before to get my words out.

Did the chain just get tighter?

"I've already told you. I just want to ask you a few questions."

I look into her eyes the best I can. I don't think she's lying, I'm pretty good at reading people, and while she does seem to be enjoying dangling me around like this she isn't lying about what she wants. There's no way she can know that I am a Black Kampfer-in fact nobody can or does! I'm the first Black Kampfer to be around for an extremely long time according to Stubby Bear, so there's no way she can know about that. She knows that I am a Kampfer now and a Zauber type-but she doesn't know which team I belong to.

"Can you unwrap me and set me down?"

If I'm like this any longer I will be passing out.

"That depends. Will you repeat your actions and try jumping off the roof?"

I can't even talk. The pressure is so great I can hardly breathe.

"Well?"

I think the chains get even tighter than before.

"N...No..."

I sigh loudly, feeling the unbearable pressure vanish, and end up hitting my head right on the cement as I am released. Stars and spots of color cloud my vision and I close my eyes, setting my hand against my forehead to stem off the hypnotic sight. Jeez, what did she do to me? Did she have my fingers wrapped together too!? After about two minutes I crack open one of my eyes-okay so there's no more swirls, good. I crack open my other eye and shakily stand up, staggering back a few steps before managing to balance myself once again.

Going from upside down to upside up, not the best thing.

"Good, now follow me. We can speak in private. If you try to run."

"Fat chance of that happening, you'll just wrap me up."

I'm still trying to catch my breath from the first time.

* * *

The inside of Seitetsu is just as impressive as the outside-if not more impressive. Unfortunately I don't have much time to sight see or admire everything since Shizuku keeps a quick pace, forcing me to match her speed. Though she won't say it, I know that if I start to lag behind she's either going to grab my hand and tug me, or make me take the lead by a few feet.

Fortunately though, all the girls seem to be in class seeing as there are none wandering the halls, or rummaging through their lockers. Though, there are a lot of decorations of sorts, maybe there's some festival? That's good because I don't know what I'd do if they all started chasing me or something crazy like that. I can see boys doing that, especially the dumb asses in high school, but not really girls. It's also great because I would hate to run into another Kampfer after my escapade with Shizuku; I am in no condition to fight.

There's also elevators in here, so that's pretty fancy. There were elevators in the first school I went to, but only teachers and people injured could only use them basically. Which means kids like me weren't able to go in them just because and there's no further reason.

"We can talk without worry in here." Shizuku gestures at a rather big door in front of us. It's blank save for its wood canvas.

She opens the door and nudges me in when I don't move for a few seconds. I can't really help it though, just ahead of me is this huge wall display thing...Like a star with a S in the middle of it. A large wooden desk is right in front of it, and the room is just barely lit. It's more than a bit daunting at this point because the room isn't empty at all like I had been expecting, in fact it is far from it. There are three girls all seated a few feet away from the desk in wooden chairs wearing similar outfits to Shizuku.

The first is a rather shapely girl with dark blue hair kept up in a poytail with a thick array of bangs hanging over her forehead and framing her face, with matching dark blue eyes that seemed to shine just a little in the light. Her skin is like ivory and looks smooth to the touch. She has some height on her considering how tall she is just sitting down in relation to the other two girls.

The second is rather timid looking girl with a modest body, with brown hair kept short, hanging over her ears as well as her forehead. Her eyes are a brilliant emerald covered by glasses. A headband completes her whole outfit and keeps her hair all neat in its style. She turned around almost right away when the door sounded like a loud gun shot going off.

The third and last girl has to be the shortest of the group. She had dark brown hair that hung just a bit over her ears and kissed the back of her neck. Her eyes are a brilliant mix of red and purple that just throws me off-are those contacts or is that the actual color of her eyes!? I shouldn't be so shocked since my eyes are almost a bright gold, but this girl's eyes just sparkle. She must be the most energetic of the group.

Maybe I should get myself a hair band.

I stiffen when the trio set their eyes on me. The blue head is curious, the brunette slightly timid, and bright eyes looks to be a bit put off with my presence.

I don't know what I've done to warrant such a reaction from bright eyes...Unless Shizuku told them what she was planning to do before she left this office, and that she'd be hauling me back here if I didn't come easily. It'd explain why they're all waiting in here on chairs, instead of standing. Because, who wants to stand for some hours while waiting for little me to show up.

"President? Who is she?" The girl with blue hair asks, looking me over carefully before turning her eyes back onto Shizuku. There's a lot of confusion in those eyes, and it's not exactly unwarranted considering the circumstances at this moment.

"What are you up to now?" The blue head asks, eyes narrowed.

"Why'd you bring in a foreigner?" The girl with bright eyes asks next, not looking entirely impressed with me.

Shizuku puts her hands on my shoulder and pushes me forward until I'm in front of a chair-a few feet away from the of course, and takes her seat behind the desk. Okay this just went from suspenseful to the godfather all in the span of a second-the lights are dim, I can barely see their faces, and all of their eyes are set on me like I'm the new blood. And, I guess I am the new blood considering I did just move here and haven't even started going to this school yet.

"Introduce yourself." Shizuku locks her eyes with mine.

I remain quiet for a second before I notice her eyes narrow even more. I move around in my seat, not able to meet her gaze fully-there's just something about it that makes me feel exposed. I don't like the feeling. "I'm...Andrew."

"I'm Natsuru-" the girl with blue hair starts before the energetic one cuts her short.

"That's a boy's name." Bright eyes looks me over with a raised eyebrow before breaking out in laughter.

"M-Mikoto-san, be nice!"

"You know it's funny, too, Akane-chan!"

Okay, so bright eyes-the one laughing is Mikoto, the one with glasses is Akane, and the one with blue hair is Natsuru.

Doesn't Natsuru mean summer or summer day?

It's something like that.

"It's really not that funny, Mikoto-san." Natsuru says, coming to my defense, but failing miserably since Mikoto continues to laugh away. That was such a feeble attempt at defending me that it is laughable.

I'm surprised that I'm not laughing.

"Andrew Ambrose is a third year student who recently moved to Japan and has enrolled here at Seitestu." Shizuku cuts the laughter short-thank goodness, and puts things back on track. More importantly she cuts Mikoto's laughter short, which had been becoming increasingly grating on me and my nerves as well as rising in volume. It's really not that funny that my name is Andrew-that Hitomi girl's name means iris or pupil, I can't remember which, so that's worth laughing at in my opinion. My name on the other land is not laughing material, thank you very much!

There's some reactions from the trio, but none of them make me feel on edge. They just seem more curious about me than anything, and perhaps at a loss, while Shizuku on the other hand is staring with so much intent that I can feel sweat starting to pool down my back-or maybe it's this jacket.

"Show Andrew your bracelets."

My heart picks up in speed once again. What is this girl trying to play at here? If it's her objective to overwhelm with sheer numbers, I have no idea she would even bother doing such a thing considering she had me wrapped up like a Christmas present and dangled me around. She really doesn't need their help. Maybe it's to just catch me off guard and gauge my reaction. If she sees me waver then she has won.

"P-President?" Akane stutters out, looking more than a little shocked with her request.

"I thought we're supposed to keep that a secret?" Natsuru gives her a wary look as if someone is going to appear out of thin air and slit her throat for spilling the beans.

"Do it. You too, Mikoto."

 _Two Blue Kampfer and two Red Kampfer!?_ I restrain my lips from curling in and my eyes from widening-it's extremely hard to hide surprise, even harder when sitting in front of someone like Shizuku who is looking for anything to exploit. I can't say how well I am hiding my surprise, I can't feel my placid mask chipping away bit by bit, but there's more ways to see surprise than just on the face and eyes.

 _That's right! They called a truce..._

I am severely outnumbered, in fact it's so drastic I can't even find mediocre humor in it. There are only three types of Kampfer, and I already know Shizuku is a Schwert. If I have to bet my money on-and I'm not the betting sort of person, I'd say Mikoto is most likely a Schwert, Akane is a Gewher, and Natsuru is more than likely a Zauber like me. Of course, it can be just the exact opposite of what I am thinking at this moment and these three could all be Zaubers for all I know. Nothing is really certain with this whole thing, at least in my opinion.

Mikoto is by far more animate and even happy to show off her bracelet. Unlike Natsuru and Akane who just hold up their arms, looking like they're about to be set on fire through some unknown means. Mikoto is in my face with an ear to ear smile, her pearly whites shining, arm waving up and down as the red band glistens in the dim light. It works into my favor she's so close to me now, since Shizuku won't be able to give me that stare. However, Mikoto is getting too close, and the more I inch back, she's moving another two inches to compensate.

"Mikoto-san, you're too close." Akane reproaches the energetic girl, pulling her back away from me for good measure if the girl didn't get the point. I think Mikoto didn't get the point because she is looking at Akane with surprise before that turns into confusion. This girl has a lot of energy, clearly.

"Why did you have us show our bracelets to her?" Natsuru asks the million dollar question-the same exact question that is on my mind.

"Andrew, show us your bracelet."

I look at Shizuku like she's grown three more heads-scratch that she's grown three billion heads. There's no way in hell I can show or will show these four my bracelet, it's going to be clear to them that I am in fact different. Right now they're all easy around me because they're thinking I'm just a foreign girl with a boy's name, but the minute they see my bracelet that will change and there will be at least one of them in my face, ready for a fight. Unfortunately, I am in no condition to fight yet alone against possibly three Kampfer that are fresh-even if I now have my breathing back to even, the weight of exhaustion continues to pull at me...Must be the effects of using my magic too much.

"What are you trying to get at here, President?" Natsuru is more than a little upset as she looks between Shizuku and I, before allowing her gaze to solely focus on Shizuku and a scowl pulls across her face.

I can't even hear Natsuru however, her voice is like an echo in the back of mind that soon fades as thoughts come to the surface. Shizuku is staring me dead in my eyes, and this time I can't look away. It's like...She's pushing my chin up with some invisible force to keep me from dodging her eyes, to keep me from evading this question by remaining silent, and to keep me from bolting right out of that door.

I struggle to inhale. My throat is pounding incessantly, only adding to the severe dryness in it, the frantic beat of my heart is growing more and more prominent as it seeks to escape its cage, and I can feel a bead of sweat run down the back of my neck.

I really hope they can't see it.

I wipe it away, it's far too persisting.

They all see me do it.

"Are you saying this girl is a Kampfer?"

Mikoto is staring me down with one eyebrow raised up-I'm not sure if she is skeptical or genuinely curious, but her eyes are not leaving me no matter how much I try to will them to just glance to the side for a second. Just a measly second.

Shizuku doesn't answer her question, in fact she doesn't even look in Mikoto's direction. She keeps her eyes on me, watching my every move-I bet she can see the sweat making its way down my face, the quirk of my lips as I struggle to remain stoic, basically there's nothing she can't see on at the moment. Does she really expect me to show off my bracelet? I'd be nothing short of a fool-they'd try to kill me right here and now.

"I'll let Andrew answer that question for you."

One of two things are going to happen right now. The first. I show them my bracelet, shit hits the fan, and I end up dying. The second. I show them my bracelet, shit hits the fan, I survive, but then I'm even more screwed than if I'm dead. Either way things aren't going in my favor. I don't know if I'm their enemies or not, Stubby Bear has very little information about it-though he told me to fight them anyways, I just don't know enough. I don't want to fight them, but if push comes to shove...

I guess I'll just bite the bullet.

"A B-Black Kampfer!?" Natsuru's eyes are as wide as my dinner plates back in my apartment.

"How?" Akane is giving me a rather hard look. For being so timid she can look quite scary when she wants to.

"Yes, I'm wondering the same thing myself." Shizuku stares right in my eyes.

I stay silent.

"You'd better start talking-you could be our enemy." Mikoto gives me her best glare.

"Hey-!"

"She's right, Natsuru." Shizuku cuts her off before she can come to my defense again.

"You don't know that! You're only making assumptions."

If I honestly...Honestly know why and how I am a Black Kampfer I wouldn't be the mess I am now. How can I answer this question when I can't even answer the other two hundred questions that are floating around inside of my head? Stubby Bear can't even answer this question for me, and now these four are expecting me to answer this question, which I have no answer to? At least Natsuru is kind enough to get them off my back, if only slightly.

Do they not know about the White Kampfer?

No, there's no way they can know about them...If they did, I'm sure they'd all be in their Kampfer forms ready to rip me apart, and Natsuru would be trying to talk them down.

"I-I don't know." I offer my feeble reason-this can't even fly as an excuse.

"I think you're lying." Mikoto bites at me, narrowing her bright eyes.

"I r-really don't know!" I've never went out of my way to convince people of anything, and I really don't have a desire to do it now, but if I don't say something that's half logical this girl is going to be all over me like flies on shit. I can't afford to get into another fight after my showdown with Shizuku. I doubt Mikoto has the same grace and finesse as Shizuku, but I will not underestimate her.

"Very well, you seem to be telling the truth." Shizuku breaks the suspense swiftly-which is suffocating me. Her eyes center on mine once again, and she interlaces her fingers while resting her elbows on her desk. I'm almost certain she has one leg crossed over the other underneath her desk and kicking her foot idly. Yes, I must be such a source of entertainment-first she chases me, then wraps me up like a present, and now I'm enduring this whole thing. "So, I will ask you this. Will you join us?"

I look at the other three girls gathered, but they just remain silent. I'm not sure if it is by choice, or if there's some sort of hierarchy here.

Shizuku is the President, but when it comes to these sort of things tempers could flare in a heartbeat.

"Join you?"

"Yes."

"What exactly...Am I joining?"

"Aren't you curious why it is we have to fight? Why must we Kampfer fight even if we don't want to? Who are the Moderators, and what is their hand in all of this? Why are we chosen to fight? I know you must be as curious as I am and want answers as badly as I do." Shizuku tilts her head, a small smile gracing her face. While it's not as scary as the one she displayed before, it still makes me press my back into my seat.

Is she looking through me? I've asked myself the same questions over and over, and even asked Stubby Bear. He doesn't have the answers-while he does know a lot about the three types of Kampfer and their attributes, but he doesn't know anything about the Moderators or why they do what they're doing, nor does he know why it is we Kampfer must fight. It's like we've got this stamp put on us, we have no free will, and we have no choice in this.

It's absolute and that's all there is to it. But, it still makes me angry...Knowing that I've got no answers and some jackasses are laughing at me right now.

It's not right that my...Our lives have been turned upside down a million times over and we now have this burden placed on us to fight another just because we have a different color bracelet than the other.

What is this? A gang? Different gangs?

"It bothers me that I don't know." I nod.

"So, join us. Oppose what the Moderators have set in place."

If this helps me get answers then I'm all for it. It's about time I know the full details as to why all of this shit is happening, and why I've been thrown right into the middle without any sort of armor. Why we have to fight each other-why two of these girls have a red bracelet and why two have a blue bracelet. Why we have to fight just because our bracelet color is different. These Moderators are going to regret ever involving me in this whole mess.

"W-wait President!" Mikoto sputters.

"Is there a problem, Mikoto?"

"She's afraid Andrew-san will hog Natsuru-san all to herself or like her." Akane looks pleased with herself with just the faintest of smiles on her face. Mikoto in turn rounds on her with her fists clenched and teeth bared, ready to pounce on her like a lioness.

"Shut up!"

The angry look Mikoto gives me is the only thing I need to see that Akane's statement is true-also telling Akane to shut up really sealed the deal.

Jeez, I heard hell has no fury like a woman's scorn, but this girl's jealousy is like a super volcano.

I'm about to be drenched in lava.

"I don't have a problem if she joins, but she can't like Natsuru too! I've already got the two of you and Sakura-san to compete with! I will not have a fourth! I just won't!"

I really wish I had the ability to make myself invisible, make myself so tiny she wouldn't be able to see me, or have the ability to fly so I can just bust out of the roof and escape her righteous woman fury. This girl is about to lose her shit on me and I haven't even done anything! What did I do!? I'm not checking Natsuru out, I'm not checking her out, I'm not checking any of them out, and I haven't even made a declaration that I want Natsuru in that sort of way...I don't even know how to feel about that-it's too weird.

"Andrew, do you like Natsuru?"

"P-president!" Natsuru looks to be choking on spit, trying not to fall back along with her chair. It's a terrible balancing act, one that almost goes south.

"What kind of question is that!?" I can't shake off the apprehension that runs down my spine, pricking my little hairs up.

"Answer the question."

"A-Andrew-san, you don't have to answer!"

I look Natsuru over carefully, drinking her in. Her skin is so much like ivory. Her hair and eye color contrast with her skin tone, but it also fits it as well strangely enough. She has some nice boobs, the overall shape of them isn't too dramatic-they're nice and round, full and perky. I don't think they're bigger than my boobs, but that is besides the point.

Her legs go on for days and are kept covered by her leggings or stockings and just show off the top most part of her thigh by the bottom of her skirt, it's modest, yet a bit risque. Talk about being a tease. Personality wise, I don't know Natsuru enough-and like that saying goes it's what's on the inside, not the outside.

I've seen better and I've seen worse, the one thing that sets Natsuru apart from those girls is the fact her hair and eyes are blue, and it's the shade of blue that is quite amazing-it's not extremely dark, and her skin is ivory.

It looks so _soft._

"A-Andrew-san?" Natsuru squirms in her seat, pressing her knees together and resting her hands in her lap. I think she's trying to maintain modesty. So bashful, but I can't blame her-I'd feel the same way if someone was staring at me like I am staring at her. Granted, I'm not staring with extreme intent nor checking her out, it can still be a little unsettling to have eyes tracing over every single inch.

"No, I don't." I look to Shizuku while shaking my head for extra emphasis. Natsuru isn't bad looking at all, but I'm...Anyways, she isn't bad looking, I'm just not interested in her. She's probably a minor, and well yeah, I'm not interested in jail bait. She may have the body of a grown woman, but she is far from that.

"Then I have no problem with it." Mikoto smiles brightly while saluting me.

Bipolar much?

"Akane?"

"No." She looks at me with those emerald eyes before narrowing them. "Are you sure you don't like Natsuru-san?"

Okay there's something clearly going on, and I have only a couple of guesses of what that can be. The first and most obvious is that Akane, Mikoto, and I'll mention Shizuku just to be safe; all have this thing for Natsuru and are vying for his attention. More over Natsuru is quite popular with the ladies, clearly, and has a whole harem of girls battling for his adoration. It's not exactly surprising to experience a situation like this, it is unusual however that these three have taken such a liking to Natsuru considering well, she is a girl.

I've never been one to battle for attention or adoration. If I have to go out of my way to prove that I love someone-even though we've been together for two years well there is something wrong. After two years of dating there should be no need for all the theatrics and bullshit. I know I am loved, and in return I love in return-there's no need to say it nor no need to go through such extravagant lengths to prove that love. That's how I see it at least, and am speaking for first hand experience. Why should I _fight_ to be in the relationship when we've been dating for two years-we should be passed this bullshit.

Anyways, back to my point before I digress-these three are all fighting for Natsuru's attention, and I have no desire to do that.

"I'm sure."

Everyone appears to be pleased with this answer, including Natsuru who sighs audibly and sinks her back into the chair.

Yes, you can take a steady breath of relief and relish in the fact I won't be in the running for fighting to get all of your attention. If these three and that Sakura girl want to waste time on a trivial and in my opinion meaningless endeavor then I won't stop them.

I'm sure one of them will get hurt in the long run, because there is no way Natsuru is going to choose all of them or even give her focus onto all of them-there will only be one that gets the full extent of his adoration. And, if she is the oblivious sort of girl then there's only one of those girls that are getting all of her attention now.

I'll be good though, not like I feel that way about the girl.

"Now, moving forward. You three are excused."

I don't know if I should feel better being alone with Shizuku or not. I mean, not having these other three in here would make it more bearable, of course, but Shizuku is all three of them combat wise.

I look at anything, the floor, my shoes, part of my jacket-anything that keeps my eyes occupied and away from Shizuku's. This girl just unnerves me-her stare is like, boom! However, I maintain my composure-what little I have at the moment and just await her to continue. She had been in the middle of a speech at sorts, asking me all sorts of questions, and I no better than to interrupt a woman when she is speaking.

"Look at me, Andrew."

I slowly focus on her.

"The others are more flippant than I am, but I know you weren't born a girl. Your secret is safe with me, as long as you do as I request."

Like a sequence...Some stupid maddening sequence I lock up. It starts with my fingers, then my wrists, it goes all the way beyond my shoulder joints and spreads around the rest of me. I'm not green or naive by any means-I grew up in a rough neighborhood and went to a bad ass, and not in a good way, elementary school. So, I know when someone has some ammo and wants to unload, in this case Shizuku knowing that crucial piece of info, and in other words she intends to blackmail me.

I rub the back of my head-I am going to take a 100 year nap after this, no joke.

"What do you want?"

"I want you to actually show up. You're not going to miss entire days, you aren't going to leave halfway through the school day, and you're not going to show up halfway into the school day."

I heave, sighing in the process. I know things are different here, but I really don't feel like going to school, considering I'm in this death battle between Kampfer wearing different color bracelets than myself-stupidest shit I've heard! I'm also going to look into that Ramen chef, maybe I could become someone's apprentice or something like that?

"I know where you live. If you're not here I will come and get you."

It went from tense to just chilling. That little statement had all of the right things for a horror movie. Yes, the rebellious student-me goes against the Student Council President or betrays her-the crazy woman stalks me and I walk to my apartment door open. She just comes flying out the next second and bites off my tongue before strangling me with her chains. Or, she hangs me upside down and then lets go before yanking on them again, hyper extending my entire body and snapping my back all in the same go.

I'm really not going to catch a break...

"You're really starting to freak me out."

"That is not my intention. I just want what is best for you and what is best for this school."

 _Okay mom..._ I don't say it out loud, of course. I don't need her giving me an even more lethal look than what she is now. So, she wants two things. The first was for her me to join the team, her team, whichever...And, that's already done and over with, so she's already gotten her way. The second thing she wants is for me to be a good girl and actually show up to school and now blow it off-like I had been back in the states, and if I don't perform to her standard she'll blather off my secret for lack of a better term.

Just fantastic.

"Sounds like you're using me." I frown at her, tilting my head to the side so I can get a better read on her.

This girl...

"You can use me, too, as long as it is for the good of this school."

"I'm going to choose to not comment on that." I say firmly.

"You will also need to wear this school's outfit." As she says this, she pulls out a few sets of them out of thin air or fro a drawer in her desk-I look them over, noting that it is similar to her's except the leggings or stockings are sheer black.

I cringe.

"There is no way I am wearing that to school, let alone in public."

"How prudish and modest of you."

Okay, for starters I've always been modest and very big on privacy, personal space. Being a girl, there is no way I can wear that...flimsy at best skirt. For one I think my boxers are actually longer than the skirt, and that'd be something else entirely. I can see it now, walking into school like that-I'd look like the ultimate ass, straight up. I don't have any intention of getting panties, so maybe I can cut my boxers a bit short. However. the thought of walking around in that skirt just doesn't sit well with me, why does it have to be that flimsy and short?

"Can we change that rule or something? No dress code?"

"The day is divided up into seven periods. Homeroom starts at 8 sharp, and the last class is over at 2:45. As you've seen we have a campus. Science is on the west end, math is on the east end, reading is on the north end, history is on the south end, the gyms and auditoriums are where the band and clubs practice and perform when they are competing. You are welcome to join any of them that you want. I even encourage you to."

Shizuku does her little smile.

I was just ignored!

Either I was just ignored, which I'm leaning towards, or Shizuku is saying no in her own way be proceeding on with everything else she has to say. I don't like being ignored, and well I think having a dress code is so lame on so many levels! The worst part is I'm going to have be up by like 7, and I don't even wake up until at least 10-which is why I'd usually miss more than half a day of school by the time I went in. I am not a morning person, and having to get up at 7 is really irksome. The last thing I'm going to want to do at 8 is go and ask to join a club, I am going to want to put my head down on my desk and fall asleep. I don't know if I'll be able to get out of bed.

To top it off I have to wear this ridiculous uniform. I guess I should be glad that the stockings at least go all the way up and will keep my skin covered.

But, still...

"Fortunately for you the school festival is still going on."

I audibly sigh.

"It's so unfortunate though, there was just the beauty pageant. You could have been a front runner to win. I'll give you a full tour tomorrow."

"Can I go now?"

I'm not even going to entertain that statement, in fact I'm not even going to entertain the faintest possibility of that ever happening to me. There is no way in hell I'd ever compete in one those, let alone entering one. I don't understand why women would compete like that, but if they want to drench themselves in makeup and do all this other crap well hats off to them. Power to you. Whatever floats your boat. But, I will not ever enter one.

"I will see you out. Make sure to be here at nine thirty, tomorrow."

"For what?"

"You'll find out tomorrow."

* * *

Shizuku didn't answer my question, in fact she completely blew my question off as she seen me out.

Well, it could have went a whole lot worse than it did. It could have gone downright catastrophic-their could have been a huge brawl and the whole school comes down on me and everyone else crushing us all. Those four could have teamed up on me when they had the chance, if they so desired to there was nothing stopping them from doing just that. Perhaps most importantly Shizuku could have squeezed me to death, or let me hit the cement, but instead she hauled me up and asked me to join her.

The worst part is now my skateboard is waterlogged.

I put it in the oven about five seconds ago, hopefully it'll be back to even after this. I would just dread having to miss school tomorrow to get a new complete, maybe go to a few skate parks too.

However, the only thing that Stubby Bear can focus on is this stupid ass outfit I have to wear, he's over here on the couch bellyaching-not at all in a bad sense. He's laughing, and if it were possible he'd have tears in his eyes. I grit my teeth to hold my anger at bay, how dare he find amusement in this ridiculous outfit that _I_ have to wear.

"It's time you go shopping for some-"

"If you say it, I swear I'm going to..." I can't even finish my sentence. I don't want to finish the train of thought. That is extremely weird on so many levels, even if I am like...This, that whole thing is just foreign to me. As long as I can help it I will not be getting anything remotely pertaining to that.

"You're going to be fighting one day, and your boobs are going to fly out of your shirt."

He seems to get a real laugh out of that at my expense. It'd be nothing short of horrifying and mortifying if my boobs were ever revealed to anyone's eyes except for mine-if there is one thing that I have to be afraid at the moment it'd be my boobs flying out of my shirt. But, there are alternatives to bras, and I will use those alternatives. Around here though in my privacy, I can't care less, I'll walk around naked if I please.

"I'll wrap them up in bandages or something."

"And, what about-"

"I will cut my boxers short!" I wince at the volume I get my voice to ascend.

"What about a corset?"

No!" That might be worse than a bra, now that I think about it. I shake the images out of my mind, but some still linger. That's what women used to wear before that one woman, I can't remember her name, invented the bra. A corset it like skin tight as it can get and only gets tighter-some women prided themselves on it, but they'd suffer because fluid would build up in their lungs. It'd keep them in place, but I won't be able to breathe, and it's still along those lines that I'm not stepping over.

"That is out of the question. No way."

"You sure are stubborn."

I'm very proud of my stubbornness.

"So, anyways enough about your undergarment crisis. You met enemy Kampfer today?"

"Yeah, one of them was horribly strong. I didn't fight the other three, but I don't think they have anything on the one that I did fight." Fighting Shizuku was like walking on the blade of a razor blade, and it took all I had to do just do what I did. Despite my efforts she had been pushing the tempo and controlling the fight-I'm not a slouch by any means, but it's clear she has more experience than me when it comes to this Kampfer thing. I choose not to make a comment on the enemy part, because they're not my enemies-anymore. I can't really consider them friends yet, but we're not going to fight.

"You'll recover in a few hours, this is your first time really using your Zauber powers to a full extent. It requires a lot of focus, and it can take its toll, but this is only when you're starting out."

I roll my eyes while sighing, that makes me feel so much better! Through practice I can beat this fatigue that I'm feeling at the moment, and have been feeling this entire time since I lunged off the roof of that building. If I had an actual house and didn't reside in an apartment I can train attacks of a larger magnitude without any worry of blowing walls to pieces making them look like confetti afterwards if I did, and could really nip this thing in the bud before it becomes a real pain in the ass. I've only been doing control exercises-bringing water to the surface of my palm before slowly willing it to spin clockwise and then counter clockwise.

It'd be unfortunate if I'm wiped out, but am surrounded by five Kampfer all ready to fight still. It'd be even worse if I have no control over my powers and rely on my emotions or something of the like to bring them to the surface-that would be detrimental in the long run.

"I have a question."

"I might have an answer, oh can you get your DVD collection?"

"How did it just from being about me to being about you?" Scowling, I growl softly before stuffing my hands in my pockets, but still get my DVD collection and set it down on the table in front of the couch-another addition to my humble home. I don't know if I want to get actual chairs or the customary cushions-chairs will be more familiar and probably more comfortable, but I should immerse myself completely. Maybe I'll get both, have the best of both worlds.

"Wow, you sure have a lot of Godzilla movies."

"Shut up. The movie is classic and was extremely innovative for the time it was made, and just how they made the movie at that point in time; it took me awhile but I finally have every single one from the three generations, plus the newer ones with audio commentary, and the VHS tapes. I don't care what anyone says, Godzilla is the shit and that's as simple as it gets."

"I think I'm going watch Invasion Of The Astro Monster, sounds like it's entertaining."

"You should watch the movies in order, there's two that come before this that are connected."

"Girlie, you're no fun."

"I told you not to call me that!"

I end up heating some left overs from that Italian shop and take a seat on the couch staring at the screen before blinking as the movie starts with its creepy and slightly suspenseful music. So, he's going with like the fifth movie they ever made which goes in order with two others that came before it, though they left Mothra out of this one when it was Godzilla, Rodan, _and_ Mothra that drove Ghidorah from the earth.

"So, back onto my question." I say after chewing the last of my leftovers, turning my eyes right onto Stubby Bear trying to look as menacing as I possibly can. I will not let him flip things into his favor again, and it's better to ask now before he gets into the movie. "With my water...Can I decrease or increase the viscosity of the water? What about the surface tension? Can I increase that?"

"Now, that is impressive. I didn't think you'd actually ask me something along those lines. To answer your question you can do both, but you really want to lower its viscosity so it flows faster. You can increase the surface tension, instead of it just splashing the person harmlessly those individual drops will be like getting smashed by steel."

I raise my eyebrow. I doubt it'll feel the getting smashed by steel, but if I can even get to be half of that than I will be happy. I won't have to expend so much energy, and would be able to do comparatively smaller attacks than what I normally would use, conserving energy in the long run, and my large scale attacks would be able to deal more damage-maybe even take out a few buildings and not just a side one building in one go! Now that'd be bad ass! I may not even need to make my attacks so large scale and get the same amount of damage from something smaller.

I'm glad to be a Zauber-my imagination is my limitation.

"Don't nitpick with my wording, I answered your question."

"Excuse me." I grouse, not taking his attitude too kindly. I'm not even nitpicking with it-the only thing that really got me was saying the splash of the water will feel like getting hit by steel. I'm not sure if such a comparison is even feasible-that would mean even one drop of water would feel like a ton. Maybe that is a bit of a stretch, but it will not be harmless as Stubby Bear pointed out.

I gather up some blankets and rearrange the pillows on the couch until I believe that they are suitable, then I finally lay down and pulls the blankets up to my shoulder sighing softly. Maybe Shizuku will train with me or something, I've always prefer to train alone rather than with people save for my dad, but that was weightlifting and things more of a physical nature, having a partner with this will help me advance faster than if I were to just train alone since it's more energy based. I'll keep up my health, but I need someone with experience.

I guess for now I shouldn't worry about it, I'll just work on my control exercises, and once I have them down like breathing I'll worry about this. I should at least be close to Shizuku's level before I ask her to train with me, as I am now I wouldn't even get passed the warm ups sadly.

"I'm going to bed. Can you turn down the TV?" I glance at Stubby Bear, eyelids already feeling like lead is pushing down on them.

"Sure, you need your beauty sleep after all."

I suppress my urge to whack him over the head with one of my pillows, I am way too exhausted for this shit and that shower and meal really hit me with more tiredness. I'd be more than satisfied with the exclaim of shock and surprise that sounds from him as my pillow connects with his fathead shutting him up for a good few minutes. But, it has to wait for another day and another time, because right now is my time to sleep.

* * *

"Hey girlie, someone is at the door."

"Mmmghh..." I speak literal gibberish for a second before I can even get a word out. I push one pillow off to the side and it rolls off of the couch. That's better, I was starting to feel a little crammed with that thing right on my side. The only thing that I could decipher from that is; girlie, someone, and at the door. I'm very tempted not to get up, but Stubby Bear isn't so easily convinced.

"I don't know who it is, but they've been knocking for five minutes now. and woke me up." Stubby Bear explains with a bit of annoyance backing his tone.

"They'll go away..."

"Well, they're not going away."

"You're really getting on my nerves..." I yawn,grudgingly getting off of the couch and trudging to the door and grabbing the knob, but not before smacking him right across the face with the pillow I dropped on the floor.

I would really like to go back to sleep, but like Stubby Bear just said whoever is on the other side is knocking persistently. It could be Okemi...Maybe they've put in a fancy hot spring or something. I'm too tired to guess. Also, does he really sleep or is he just saying that to somehow make me move that much faster when it will do just the opposite.

I open the door while yawning.

"Good morning, Andrew."

I'm still tired, and my eyes are caked with sleep as well as being blurred, but some of the haze is clearing up without any issue. This girl really came to my apartment like she said she would, and one more than level is it freaking me out.

"What are you doing here, Shizuku!?"

She laughs softly, pressing her fingers into her hair before doing this neat little hair flip.

"Oh, Andrew-san. I see you've made a friend and so soon, too. That's very good." Okemi graces me with her presence, a soft smile on her face as she looks at the two of us, and I know I look far less impressive than Shizuku. I don't care though, the only thing on my mind is slamming the door on Shizuku's face and taking my ass right back on the couch to sleep for another ten hours.

"Yeah...I guess..." I mutter, scratching the back of my head, holding back my yawn for the moment.

"I am Okemi, the landlord of this apartment complex." She and Shizuku bow to each other.

"I'm just here to accompany Andrew on his way to school. You wouldn't mind if I go into her room?"

"Not at all. It'd be better if you were in her apartment instead of waiting around out here, I don't want to send the wrong message to the rest of my tenants.

This is the last thing that should happen right now.

"I actually plan on going back to sleep, so yeah." I offer nothing else, because that's all there is to it. Okemi is going to leave in a matter of seconds and Shizuku is going to be taking her leave as well soon after. She will not be strutting her piercing eyes ass into my apartment, hell no, I turn around and the next thing I know I've got a three dagger thing and chain wrapping around me or something crazy. Like I said before, this has the makings of a horror movie, and I hate to see my cynical thoughts manifesting like this.

"But, it's almost nine don't you have to go to Seitetsu?" Okemi tilts her head, stopping in her trek.

"I don't start until next week or something like that."

"Oh, well you two have fun."

"Thank you, Okemi-san." Shizuku bows in kind, stepping into my apartment. Stepping right passed me I'll add and depositing her little bag on the arm of the couch.

"What is this?" I cross my arms over my chest, locking my door for good measure in case Okemi feels the need to come back. Shizuku is just sitting on my couch, ass all on my blankets with her one leg crossed over the other. I've heard of the saying walking in, kicking off shoes, and then putting smelly ass feet and socks up on the table and it's not even your own house-but this is kind of a stretch. She is literally just making herself all comfy, where I was going to lay down.

I lay down uncaring of how close we are, and forcibly pull my blankets from under her weight. I make myself as comfortable as I can, noting that Stubby Bear is now under the blankets for some reason, but I'm not going to even bother with him at the moment. Pillows over my head, and my blankets secured, I do my best to ignore her fingers tracing over my shoulders.

"It's nine. It's time to wake up."

"Come on, it's too early to be up like this."


	4. Chapter 4

I can't believe this is _actually_ happening.

Seriously, it's bad enough my car stalled out and started on fire-even if that was way back in the states and days ago, I thought that was the worst it'd get aside from being in the current state that I am in now.

It's not like I even can consider driving here after witnessing the sheer _hell_ that it is to drive here, but I still loved my car and learned to drive in it.

Between the two I'm not sure which is worse, but this third one is by the far the worse.

The third, well it's simple.

Shizuku.

Shizuku woke me up.

This is just like a horror movie. The only thing missing is me running away screaming at the top of my lungs and Shizuku chasing me with a demented grin on her face as she feeds off of my fear like its a delicacy. Using my fear to track me down in addition to my shrill voice-because like the idiots in the horror movies I wouldn't know when to stop screaming, even when I am in the clear.

No, it's worse than that-for the simple fact she's woken me up!

Shizuku is in my apartment-somehow she found my apartment. Okay, okay, to be fair I _did_ write down my address on the enrollment forms, but usually that's something the principal and teachers just see. It is by no means available to students regardless if they're on the honor roll, have perfect attendance, are the student council president, class president, and whatever other stupid thing is made up within the school system. Point being, that information wasn't allowed to be in anyone's hands.

Considering the school system is a lot more strict so to speak here in Japan; I'd assume such information was sealed away completely with lock and key, and for good measure put into two different cast iron safes. Maybe I'm wrong or just blowing this way out of proportion but I would think with everything being so much more strict here-information such as this wouldn't be known at all.

Either Shizuku has a lot of influence, or she's pushing her boundaries by a mile doing this.

The first possibility is very alarming, considering that if she's allowed to do this-then there's really nothing that is out of bounds for her. She could send me flying through three walls and she'd get away with it without even the slightest punishment.

The second possibility is a bit better for me since she can very well get in trouble for doing this, but that is unlikely. If she'd get in trouble for doing this, then by all means she wouldn't even do it because she's a good little student who can do no wrong.

"Can you go away?"

I'm really not in the mood to go to school today, and I find the whole prospect nothing short of asinine at this considering I'm this warrior meant to fight other Kampfer who have the opposite color bracelet than I do. Am I seriously supposed to act like everything is everything and just go on with my life without a single frigging care in the world? I can answer that, and the answer is no. Hell fucking no. I never went to school anyways and I find the whole thing pointless, it is pointless.

It is a waste...

I can't act like everything is everything when I can conjure water with my will!

"No."

"Look lady. I don't start until next week, you're not even supposed to be here bothering me and waking me up like this. You're pissing me off, and I mean it." I grouse, struggling to keep a lid on my anger, but I am fucking tired as shit! If there is one thing that will and can really set me off it is when I am woken up extremely early, and it doesn't matter who wakes me up-they will suffer the full extent of my wrath. I will punch them in the face or smash a guitar right over their head.

Now, considering she is my superior for lack of a better term, I am _trying_ to be as cordial as I can be, but she isn't making it easy.

"I'm sorry you think of me as a bother, but I need your help."

I pull the covers from over my head, raising an eyebrow. Yeah, that just makes so much sense. There's so many things funny and wrong about that statement I'm not going to take the time to sort through them all, or point them all out to her. I don't have the energy. I just want to go back to sleep and enjoy my bliss.

"Why can't you just do it and leave me alone? You're the Student Council President or whatever, I'm sure you can manage it all by yourself. You wouldn't be in the position you are in if you couldn't get the job done."

"That is true, but I am just one person. Even I need help." Shizuku reasons, tilting her head to the side.

I can't exactly rebuke her reasoning or even try to argue against it. Even if I badly want to, I can't. She is only one person, and she can only do so much by herself, but she wouldn't be the president if she couldn't get the job done. She wouldn't be in the position that she is in if she didn't have the poise and confidence to get things done, even if she's swamped with a whole shit load of things to do, in the end she would make sure everything was finished to perfection. Well, as close to perfection as one get, but the point still stands.

I don't have the energy to go back and forth, but I also don't have the energy to get off of my comfy couch and go to school. As ridiculous as it sounds I just don't-oh yeah, I just go to school and ten more Kampfer just show up ready to attack me. Yeah, I'm going to have to pass on that slim scenario and avoid it altogether.

"I'm also going to give you a tour of the school, the least you could do is be punctual. It's going to look bad on me if I'm even a minute late."

"Ugh, are you really trying to use that logic? There's that festival going on, there is no school!"

"Which is why I need your help."

"Care to explain?"

"This festival is a huge deal here, and I want to make sure it goes perfectly. I can only do so much myself to ensure that it is perfect, so I need your help, too."

I can feel myself sink into the couch in a fit of morbid depression and the cushions swallow me whole. I literally did myself in, and Shizuku is very slick with her mouth for driving me into that. Of course I don't have to go to school today since I start next week after this whole festival is finished with and classes start again. However, since I entertained this woman's game of cat and mouse, I now have to go to school to just not get this stupid tour, but help her with this whole festival crap-in effect I have to do whatever she asks me to.

"You know there's no such thing as perfect, right? Plus, I don't want to help. " I am not going to do down without a fight, and besides-perfection doesn't exist.

"Mmm. I didn't know you enjoyed Godzilla so much-you have all three generations of it right here."

"If you even get a _smudge_ on my movies..."

"So, you will help me then. Right?"

"Give me a few minutes." I kick myself up out of the couch and stand to my feet, stretching my arms until my back cracks. I'm really not going to catch a break, I really have to wonder why I listened to that stupid bear when he said I had to come here, and why I got on that stupid plane in the first place. I could be in the states avoiding this whole thing, but instead I'm right in the middle of it.

I can't let her tarnish my movies at all!

"Make sure to wear the school uniform."

I turn around to see Shizuku's expression which is one of pure delight if I have to a hazard a guess. That smile is way too genuine to be fake or forced. Her usually piercing eyes are soft with mirth-amusement even.

Oh yes, she is just soaking this up!

"I'm not wearing that uniform, you are out of your mind. How am I supposed to skateboard in that?"

"Is that really safe? What if your skirt tears?"

I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose-that's why I don't want to wear the stupid damned uniform in the first place!

I've seen a lot of girls skate, some couldn't hang, and some could, but never once did I see them skateboarding in a skirt. If there is something that can be considered stupid it would be skateboarding in a skirt-never mind the fact my cut off boxers would be showing, but the off chance I fall and bust my shit like with Hitomi it won't be good.

I will die of embarrassment.

"Oh, don't be so prudish. I gave you the high stockings to preserve your modesty."

I growl, stomping off to my bedroom to retrieve the obscene uniform and go into the bathroom to wash up, slamming the door shut for good measure. This is really me...I am a girl, I have boobs, I have hips, and I have an ass. I try not to marvel at my reflection, try not to be taken by my ass, try not to hone in on my bosom, but the more I stare the more I just can't comprehend this entire thing. I don't think I'm ever going to change back-I'm going to be like this forever!

Why!?

"Andrew-"

"Stay out! What do you think you'e doing!?" I slam the door before she can even peek in, covering my girls the best I can-which is an epic fail considering how big they are. You know it wasn't enough for Shizuku to just show up and ruin my blissful sleep, but she has to take it a step further and try to see me completely nude-and I don't care how she tries to put a spin on it she is trying to see me naked!

"I just wanted to offer my assistance."

"Well, I don't need it!" I lock the door for good measure, before she decides to swing it open before I can react.

Now I've always been modest-as a guy. I never took off my shirt despite being lean and ripped to the bone, never flaunted my physique every chance I could get like a lot of guys do that aren't even half of me, never slammed down weights I was lifting, never made off the top noises while I was lifting heavy weight, and I never walked around naked save for in the privacy of my own room where I didn't need to worry about somebody just barging in.

That modesty must have quadrupled to the point where I am prudish as Shizuku found the need to point out, but it is well warranted in my opinion. I didn't have boobs before, and well downstairs is gone.

It's harder to cover myself up now than it was before. I need two arms to fully cover my bosom, and that leaves...

Well, enough said.

"You're so modest. I'll be waiting at the entrance."

I clench my teeth, way too tempted to punch this door, but if I do that the whole thing is going to fly off of its hinges. I will be exposed in all of my naked glory for starters, and I will then have the utmost _privilege_ of trying to explain the situation to Okemi and why it is I decided to vandalize my apartment after not even living here for three whole months-I will be kicked out before I can say Ramen three times.

I wait a few minutes before unlocking the door, heaving my chest with a sigh as I let my girls go and relax gripping the sink gently with both hands. The front door clicked shut, but Shizuku could have just opened and closed it and is standing right outside of the door still waiting to give me her assistance. That was just way too close for comfort.

The shirt isn't really bad, even if it is a little tight around my girls-but I shouldn't expect anything less since all of my baggy shirts were also tight around my bosom. I give the tie a once over-I've only worn a tie _once_ in my life and that had been when I graduated from grade school, and I will say I hated it the way I looked in the damn thing. Granted this tie isn't like a man's and is designed for girls, I still have no interest in wearing it. The skirt is next and I put both of my feet through it before pulling it up, because doing one leg at a time is just awfully silly.

The draft is immediate and I shove the back down with both hands, my cheeks burning as hot as the sun itself. I don't understand how girls can wear this sort of thing without being the least bit abashed or shy about it-maybe it's because they've been doing it since they were like twelve and since they're girls it's just commonplace to wear a skirt and not care the slightest.

However, the stockings give me some relief as they cover my whole leg-thighs and all, ensuring that not even a centimeter of my skin is showing for wandering eyes that shouldn't be wandering in the first place. My legs are still on display much to my chagrin-I really miss my jogging pants and jeans, but at least my skin itself isn't bare for all to see.

I pick up the slip on shoes that I should put on and exit the bathroom shoving them into a plastic bag, and head towards the kitchen slipping on my skateboarding shoes. I've never seen girls skate in skirts before, and I'm sure this is stupid in a million different ways, but I'm going to do it anyways because I'm just going to do it anyways.

I have enhanced senses and the whole nine yards, so I should be fine skateboarding in this skirt...As long as I don't fall and rip my skirt.

I grab my skateboard and bite the bullet that is turning into my daily life as of late and head out the door-double checking that nobody is around and hurry down the stairs towards the entrance before anyone even happens to chance a glance at me. I hope Shizuku doesn't make a comment on my appearance, I look a little silly with these skateboarding shoes on-they are quite wide in comparison to the slip on shoes I should be wearing and don't quite go with this uniform.

"Andrew, you have to wear the tie."

Shizuku in all of her annoying glory is leaning against the wall, arms gracefully crossed over her chest as she fixes me with that trademark smile that only she can pull off.

I scowl.

I'm thankful that's the only comment she makes on my appearance, because there are a million more things she could say, a million more observations she could make out loud, and a million more things she could point out other than me just not wearing the tie.

Of course, I'm not going to tell her I don't know how to put a tie on. I'm sure a lot of guys get a kick out getting all dressed up in their suits and ties, with those stupid looking dress shoes, but that shit isn't for me and never will be. I'm fine just wearing a pair of jeans, a t shirt, and tennis shoes. And, while I may be what I am now, my tendencies haven't changed all that much-some have actually increased rather than decrease because of this.

"I don't want to wear the stupid thing."

"You don't know how to put it on."

I don't dignify that with a response, I don't even meet her gaze.

"Hold still."

I sigh, obeying her command and hold myself still so she can do her work. She does the whole loop and pull thing with the tie and makes sure it's all neat-even though I almost choke when she pulls on it. I don't feel like a fool at all-I never really cared about my appearance to such an extent I'd ever consider wearing a tie, so naturally I wouldn't know how to put one on.

"There we go."

"Thanks..." I don't meet her eyes, more than aware she has that smile on her face.

"You just look so cute with that on."

I stiffen as I make my exit, almost freezing in my spot as those words hit me like a fifty ton anvil. This is one thing I don't even want to breach at the moment, or forever! Now, if I was like I had been before I would accept the compliment in stride and that'd just be it, but since I am what I am now I can't even accept it and I try to forget that she even said it. Unfortunately, I can't forget that she said it considering it hasn't even been a full minute since the words left her mouth.

Instead of making a response I throw my board on the ground and push off as fast I can, not even bothering to glance behind me to see if Shizuku is keeping up or not. She's a Kampfer too, so she'll manage, and I really don't want to be around her at the moment since the awkwardness level went from ten all the way to a million in the blink of an eye.

Honestly, I'm beginning to think that she just enjoys getting a rise out of me. What other reason would she have for trying to go into _my_ bathroom to offer _her_ assistance knowing full well that I was naked? The only logical conclusion is she wanted to see me naked, or get a rise out of-but I guess for her it'd be both since they went hand in hand.

All of the nonsense drains out of me as the wind picks up my hair. I will always enjoy this sense of freedom, the sound my wheels make when they hit the lines in the sidewalk, the sounds they make as I coast down the streets, and how can I forget about the sound of that 'pop' whenever I do tricks. The school isn't a great length away from me, but I take the long way for the simplest of reasons.

Stairs.

Ledges.

I bring my knees up to my chest over and over again. The board goes through it's amazing flips, defying gravity and I catch it with my front foot first before leveling out and setting my back foot on it before I land on the ground.

I do a few grinds giving into my adrenaline, flying down ten stairs going for the harder like a smith and feeble, I even bust an overcrook and crooked grind while still doing 50-50, 5-0, and even get in a few nosegrind. I swerve away from someone. My wheels make a loud but dull sound as I carve across the cement and do a quick shuv-it switching my tail to nose and nose to tail.

"Wooo!" I shout in glee, landing on the ground hard from a blunt slide-those are always bad ass if they are done right. Unfortunately there's at least three people right in my path of fire and I swerve away from them, stomach twisting into knots as I go on one wheel to get around the last roadblock before managing to balance out.

I coast for several more minutes, doing tricks as I go, jumping higher and higher, dodging cars whenever I come across them-there's a lot, and it's a shame they can't be used as platforms to trick on or off, even do some manuals. I bust a Hardflip, at least two feet high and land bolts, transitioning into a manual.

"Bad ass!"

I swing my arms-I must look beyond ridiculous as I do. Us skaters have our own style and our own faces that we make while we're in the zone, some are comical, some are strange, and some can't even be described, but the arms swinging while balancing has to be the most universal and comical one in our array. I ride the manual further and further, balancing with just a little trouble-the school is within my sight and if I get there like this I'll break my record for going half a block.

I catch the sight of of hair soon after-more over it gets right in my path. My celebration to come being ended before it can even begin, and immediately try to slow down while balancing. Seeing as it is not working in my favor I jam my tail back on the cement, but this only causes me to slide, catching this idiot's attention

Pain and more than anything a sort of awareness of my fall makes me rolls across the cement for a few seconds before I strain flipping myself back onto my feet by bending my back.

I scowl wiping off my skirt and shirt while I kick out my legs.

Damn it!

Who would be stupid enough to be right in my way as I am skateboarding, easily going over fifth teen miles, flying down the street like I have a death wish and am high on adrenaline? Who would dare interfere with me breaking my personal record.

"Fucking A..." I mutter while staring at my now cut hands-they're not bleeding but my skin is broke so to speak and I can see the other layer. Thy in just a few seconds. I retrieve my board hastily before a car runs over it and turn to see just who got in my way in the first place...I didn't swerve in their path-this is not like the time with Hitomi and there's no need to keep it ambiguous at all.

"Why'd you get in the way like that!? Fuck!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you!"

I exhale while letting out a savage growl, more than a little angry; I observe just who it is that decided to grace me with their presence by getting into my way. Interfering with my vibe. It is a girl, about my age or maybe just a year younger. She has this amazing blue hair kept up in a ponytail.

I run my eyes over her body-she has a very slender but shapely build, she definitely takes care of herself but doesn't have the same firmness as Shizuku, Hitomi, or myself. That sheepish and awkward gleam in her equally blue eyes speaks of her indecision. I'm more full and curvy than she is, what's that word...Voluptuous, I think it is...

I'm also taller by a good few or so inches. I'm still about six feet, surprisingly.

Fucking Natsuru...This stupid little shit!

"Natsuru, you fucking idiot! Why'd you get in my way!?"

"Hey, it's not her fault! You were the one flying down the street on that skateboard! You should watch where you're going!"

I glare at Mikoto, this stupid little...

"You stay out of it, midget! This doesn't concern you."

"What'd you just call me!? It does concern me I'm Natsuru's childhood friend!"

I ignore her presence completely, which angers the little midget even more-focusing all of my ire onto Natsuru. Mikoto can thrash and scream, clench her fists and let her eyes smolder with fire-I'm still going to ignore her. In fact I'm going to take it a step beyond and pretend she doesn't exist at all.

"I said I'm sorry!" Natsuru tries to pacify me, but it doesn't work. Her eyes go wide as she sees my anger only increase. "Are you okay? I really didn't mean to get in your way like I did!"

It doesn't work at all.

"I'm fine! But, you got in my way you stupid ditz, have you never heard of looking both ways and looking behind you!?"

"I said I'm sorry!"

"Oh, Andrew, you should have been more aware. Natsuru-san isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer. I thought you would have noticed that during our little meeting before."

"Where did you come from, President?!"

Surprisingly it's Natsuru to fire off the question, pointing a finger at Shizuku as she was just leaning against the gate, arms crossed over her chest. I can only manage to clench my teeth while scowling at her with as much energy as I can muster-which is a lot since Natsuru dared to get in my way the way she did. Like I'm supposed to be aware of everything while I am balancing on only two wheels, and then just turn out of the way-which is impossible given what I was doing when this dolt got in my way!?

"Excuse me?" I grate out, glaring at her.

"Oh, don't look at me like that. You know I'm right."

"That is ridiculous, she's the one that got in my way. Not the other way around!"

"Yes, true. But, at least your skirt didn't tear, now put on your other shoes. Don't make me tell you twice."

I grumble, stupid bossy girl, thinks she can order me around just because she's the President. I concede though, slipping off my skateboard shoes and slip on my school shoes-they're pretty comfortable, but I still hate them. I do not like this outfit one bit.

"President!"

"I've been here for awhile now, Natsuru-san. You need to be more aware yourself."

"You just sneak up like that all the time! You're always up to something!"

"Head into school-you're wanted, immediately. I'll see you later Mikoto-san."

Mikoto gave a peace sign before shoving Natsuru through the gates. She wasted no time in glaring at me, but once again I just ignore her.

It seems to make her even more angry.

Sour grapes.

"Where's Akane?" I chance a glance around me, and other than a bunch of girls staring at me and Shizuku like we have ten heads, I can't see Akane anywhere.

"She got here before both of us. She works in the Library so she has to be here even earlier than me."

"I feel sorry for her."

"Yes, well not all of us are a free spirit like you. Some of us come to school like we are supposed to."

I scratch at the back of my head, looking away from Shizuku's smiling face. I can't help but think somehow she had something to do with Natsuru getting in my way and causing me to fall like a stack of bricks-I'm certain it must have been amusing watching me biff, and Natsuru fall herself partly from the shock and me slamming into one of her legs. Now, shit happens, I know the saying all too well at this point and it holds merit, but there's no way Natsuru could have just got in my way like all on her own.

Unless she's so stupid beyond saving.

Shizuku puts herself in front of me, arms still folded over her chest, her usual smile dancing on her face. "Something the matter?"

 _I don't want to be here._ I don't speak my thought out loud, because no doubt it is going to cause Shizuku to make a retort that will get a reaction out of me. Probably call me a truant or something-which is the truth. There were days I didn't even bother to show up to school for two weeks straight, and there were other days I'd just leave when I had enough. Shizuku, there's no doubt in my mind, won't allow me to leave like that-and as she has proven will show up on my doorstep.

"Nothing, can I go now? I thought you were going to give me that tour and you need my help?"

"So impatient."

I cross my arms over my chest. "I'd be a little more patient if I didn't fall and if I wasn't so rudely woken up today by yours truly."

"I thought you'd be happy seeing me so early."

I scowl. "I don't like being woken up early-I become an angry bear. Anyone who does it suffers the full extent of my wrath."

"I see that now, I'll keep that in mind next time I come to visit you. I'm waiting for someone."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"I'd like you two to meet so there's no unpleasant surprises today or in the future."

I shake my head, almost reaching the point of being exasperated. "Why?"

"You have quite the record Andrew, and you're not exactly the friendliest person."

I'm so close to losing my shit now. I'm not a sociable person at all, if anything I stray far away from people because I can't trust them. Betrayal is a bitch, and the worst part with that is the fact those closest were the ones to do it. But, then again the closest people were always the ones to screw you over first, I'm pretty much just a loner and always have been because of that. I have my few friends, but that's it-I'm not social like my father, but I'm not anti-social like my mother.

I just don't really like people. I don't mind being around them, but as far as talking and all that shit goes...Spare me, I don't want to or need to be humored. I'll save myself the trouble and keep people at more than an arm's length away, and they will stay there as long as I can help it. The only thing they do is talk and talk, while bringing all of their bullshit out, and I don't care to hear either.

More importantly, other than all of those things, she knows Shizuku and that really doesn't paint a good picture for me. Sure, Shizuku did save me from going splat yesterday, and sure she didn't decide to strangle me, but the girl is creepy, and her eyes are just...Piercing, most of all she deduced the fact I...This isn't how I originally was. Either she is a spy of some sort and had been at the airport when I arrived, or she had been informed through some means-which is basically the same thing in the long run.

"I don't like people."

"I know, you got into a lot of fights."

I only sigh, scraping my hands through my hair.

"Shizuku-chan!"

I dart my eyes on the loudmouth-jeez is her voice annoying. Not quite as bad as nails on a chalkboard, but it's still bad. The girl is waving her hand just a few meters away from us with this stupid smile on her face. She doesn't have a body like me or Shizuku, it's more slender than athletic, more soft than firm, but it doesn't really detract from her overall appearance. Her eyes are a shade of green and are rather large, and her hair is orange...Auburn, maybe a combination of the two, or maybe I'm color blind since I can't say her hair is brown for sure.

There's no way in hell someone can be as bubbly as this girl and be so genuine about it. I've met lots of people, some of them were all right I guess, others were intolerable, but they all held something in common with one another. They weren't bubbly at all, and if they were it was just an act to hide something more sinister about themselves-maybe sinister isn't the right term to use, but it's the only thing that I can think of. They act all sweet, but once they get comfortable they're little shits and devious.

My heart skips a beat-that stupid smile turns on the girl's face turns into a baleful smirk, and those large green eyes become narrow and sharp like daggers. I shake my head furiously, focusing on the girl more than I had been before, surely I'm not seeing just things or imagining that. Where did that come from just now?

"I'm leaving."

I'm halted by Shizuku, who grabs my hand-if I didn't have such good reflexes I'd be on the cement right now.

"Shizuku-chan, who is your friend? She sure is tall."

Shizuku looks me up and down, craning her head up to look me in my eyes. Yeah, I got her by a good few inches, Shizuku isn't short by any means, but I'm just that much taller than her.

"Her name is Andrew, she's new here." Shizuku simpers, running her fingers through her curtain of hair while flashing a weird smile at me.

A quirk I guess...The hair thing I mean.

That smile, well I have no idea, but it creeps me out.

"I'm Sakura, it's a pleasure to meet you, Andrew-san."

She bows just a bit, and I return the gesture just so I remain polite. I'll never get used to all the formalities that people do here, nor the use of honorifics. I'm just going to call a person by their name and that's it. It's not necessarily a bad thing, but usually one uses honorifics unless they're very familiar with that person or people, and even then they'll use kun or chan to show affection. They just won't say their name as it is.

"Nice to meet you, too." I say back softly, looking at her for just a second before turning away.

Something about this girl just feels...Off.

"I hope you come to enjoy our school, it's the best in all of Japan. We even have a campus, if you can believe! Anyways, I guess I'll see you both later. Shizuku-chan always give a good tour, so make sure to pay attention."

I resist rolling my eyes and just nod my head. "Noted."

"By the way, Shizuku-chan. Have you seen girl Natsuru?"

I can feel my eyes widen at that little question, and it takes all I have not to open up my mouth so flies can get in. Okay, by all means I am a reasonable person, I think so at least. I've never been forceful or mean to people, I've always minded my own business and have done my own thing. I've been experiencing a lot of unreasonable things as of late, definitely unreasonable, and this is going to make it to the top of that list.

I do remember Stubby Bear saying something about there being another person like me-a boy who was transformed into a girl. I don't know if that boy had the bane of not being able to transform back into a boy and remaining a girl like myself, my luck has never been all that good in the first place. But, seeing and meeting Natsuru I just considered her a girl from the start-even if the name can be considered strictly for boys, the name Ikki can also be used for girl or boys so I wasn't quick to jump to that assumption.

Either there are two Natsurus, one a boy, the other a girl. This is unlikely. Or they are the same person, and this is the more likely of the two.

I must have gotten lost in my thoughts, because as I start to come back to the reality Shizuku is staring at me with her small smile. I take note of where my eyes had been lingering while I was just somewhere else completely, her breasts, and they quickly trail onto her long legs. I also take notice that Sakura is now gone, and I don't even see her walking towards the school.

I really need to stop getting lost in my thoughts...

"Andrew, I had no idea you'd be so bold as to ogle me. You surprise me, here I thought you were modest."

"I-I was not! Stop a-assuming things like that!" I quickly say, turning my back to her so I can hide my blush. I never ogled anyone, thank you very much! I did look, but I never stared for long periods of time, and I definitely didn't ogle any girls in my lifetime! Unless, they had been my girlfriend of course, but by all means I had every right to do that because we were dating.

"Were you lost in thought? Did something Sakura-san say bother you?"

"Natsuru is really..." I sigh, shaking my head. I never believed I'd have a grasp on this whole crazy thing, but now this is going into way no field. It's not left field, it's not right field, it's not middle field-it is no field. "Natsuru was transformed into a girl since he was originally a guy, right?"

"How perceptive of you. To make that conclusion just from one question that she asked."

"I'm not stupid, and you'd have to be a real dumb ass to think that there's a girl version of Natsuru and a boy version of Natsuru since they have the same last name. They're one in the same, except unlike me he can transform back to normal."

Lucky little bastard.

I'm greeted with nothing but silence, and I chance a glance at Shizuku-I am stupid enough to do that, thank you. I'm not at all surprised to see her eyes narrowed with that piercing look to them, and her usual smile completely gone replaced by a thin line-clearly impassive. I really have to wonder why I even chanced a glance at her, knowing full well she would have this look on her face. Perhaps it was because of the silence-she usually had an answer for everything I had to say, it was odd being greeted by silence.

"So you're saying that Sakura-san already knows that they're the same person..."

"She looks like a stupid ditz and acts like one, but nobody can be that stupid." I feel a bit wary-Shizuku's expression has yet to change. "I mean seriously, it's not like he has twin or anything like that...Couldn't be come up with a better name other than his original name, like Natsuki or Mitsuki...Mitsuha, anything besides his real name?"

"Coming from the person who said they were Andrew's girlfriend Brianna Lopez..."

"At least I didn't say my name like an idiot, you deduced that all on your own."

"I'll give you the tour now. This was very...Lovely. You are quite interesting, Andrew."

"Umm..."

* * *

Barring whatever the hell happened not even ten minutes ago. I don't know why Shizuku had been giving me that look, nor do I know why she was friends with such a stupid girl, Sakura. I can read people pretty well, and while her appearance is that of a bubbly and cheerful girl, I know for a fact that there's something off about her that I can't place my finger on. Perhaps it's better that I can't place my finger on it, because it'd just lead to more confusion or irritation.

So, all of that aside I'd say this day pretty good.

The inside of Seitetsu is very impressive as the outside, I almost forget about the fact it has a campus because of the interior-if not more impressive. Thankfully this time around I have much time to sight see and admire everything since Shizuku is keeping a slow pace, explaining everything in detail as we pass by room after room, floor after floor, and hit the campus when we complete one building and go to the next. Though she won't say it, I know that if I start to lag behind she's either going to grab my hand and tug me.

She's so abrasive...

Fortunately though, all the girls seem to be in class or somewhere outside where most of the festival is taking place, seeing as there are none wandering the halls, or rummaging through their lockers. It could be just the fact they don't want to be late and are good little students. Though, there are a lot of decorations-there's banners, and some of the decorations are so outlandish I can't even begin to comprehend why or how they're even allowed.

But, on the bright side this is good because I don't know what I'd do if they all started chasing me or something crazy like that. My first instinct would be to run, but seeing as Shizuku is flanking me I doubt I'd get very far-and she's just revel in my despair with the whole thing. Now, I can see boys doing that, especially the dumb asses in high school since they think they can pick up any girl, and let's face it-are raging with hormones. But, not really girls-sure they get their...Thing, but other than that they're not chasing after each other.

It's also great because I would hate to run into another Kampfer after my escapade with Shizuku. While I am fresh and not very sore from my encounter with her, I have no desire to get into another fight.

One thing I can't stress enough is that there are elevators in here, so that's pretty damn fancy if you ask me. There were elevators in the first school I went to, but only teachers and people injured could only use them basically, for the most part. Which means kids like me weren't able to go in them just because and there's no further reason. That didn't stop me or other kids from using them, but if we were caught well it'd be detention, and because I wouldn't serve that stupid shit it'd turn into an in school suspension, and since I didn't do that it'd turn into flat out suspension.

Not like I cared though, they were just doing me a favor.

Every single building is impressive in its own right, individually. But, the one that stands out the most for me is the science building. Now, surprisingly enough I had been getting a B in my chemistry class. Of course my lack attendance always effected my grade, but I got my work done, and passed the tests and quizzes-attendance was a small part of my overall grade. With this said I am just blown away-there's beakers of all kinds, tables filled to the brim with so many interesting science things, not sure what else to call them, that it makes my old class look like a joke.

I have to wonder if somebody was ever dumb enough to mix the wrong chemicals or add too much of something, add to less of something, and that just caused an explosion or something startling. Normally, there was no reaction of any sort if too much or too less of something was added into something else, but the off chance those chemicals were purely volatile-well better count your eggs.

More than anything though, I love their gym-well I'm going to call it a gym because it's where anything and everything remotely physical takes place. I think they have a weight room-right near the front of the building actually, and upon entering the room it was confirmed. It was a weight room, and the heaviest dumbbells were 130s-which is impressive since my first school only had 100s. There's a few leg press machines, a lat pulldown machine, a few hack squat machines, barbells of every kind, iron plates, rubber plates, a few squat racks lined against the wall, and to finish it off they even have a smith machine!

Maybe this school won't be so bad-I mean this weight room is bad ass! I feel right at home.

"Impressed?"

I look towards Shizuku-I feel like the question is rhetorical, but she still wants an answer I assume. "Yeah."

"You look right at home in here, did you work out a lot as a boy?"

"Sure did."

"It's a shame I'll never be able to see that side of you...I can only assume you were very muscular and lean, also very strong."

"Shizuku...Tour."

"Excellent, happy to see that you're in the right spirit. Now we're going to go to the clubs so you can sign up for one, or however many you want. I think you'd be perfect for the track team with your long legs and all."

 _It's just an observation, no need to freak out._ I muse in silence, looking at Shizuku before nodding in acceptance, and let her steer me in the right direction. I shouldn't feel weird that she said I have long legs, since I am tall, and I do have long legs. She was just simply making the observation, in no way was she eyeballing me with a little smirk on her face as she made the statement-I could be wrong of course, she did try to peek in on me while I was naked in my bathroom.

"Shizuku-chan!"

I almost jump out of my shoes at the sudden volume-Shizuku has entered the building and everyone is bowing their heads, literally. There's praise and there's eyeballing from boys and girls.

"I have many admirers."

"No kidding." I snort, glancing around the see some of these kids with stars in their eyes-how is that possible?

I shake my head and focus on something else.

It doesn't take long for us to reach the Track and Field club, there's several dozen people shuffling around the front of it as we approach, but since Shizuku is with me they all start to gush and move out of the way while bowing their heads.

Okay then!

"Yo, funny seeing you here!"

I struggle to stay standing as Hitomi in all of her cocky glory gives me a mock salute while smiling her little smile. Her head tilts a little to the side, her bangs following in a systematic rhythm. I'm not sure what to say to her, so I just stare at her hoping that my expression gives nothing away. Seeing as she doesn't change her expression at all, my face doesn't falter at all, or she could just be playing the part and letting me maintain such ignorance.

"Have you two met?" Shizuku inquires, looking at us both.

"Well-"

"Yeah, we sure did. She was flying down the street on that skateboard between her arm and almost hit me because she wasn't paying attention. She fell while avoiding me, which was pretty funny."

"S-Shut up, Hitomi!" I snap, scowling at her. Her story was all wrong, she left out the part where she purposely got in my way to make me fall, it's not like she couldn't hear me screaming down the street or the pop of my board, or the sound of my wheels hitting the pavement as I landed a hardlip-bolts on top of it.

"Don't be so sour about it. It's your fault for not paying attention."

"You're the one that got in my way!"

Both of them get a kick out of this-Shizuku simpers while Hitomi just laughs openly, eyes shining with amusement. It's really not that funny at all, my perfect trick had been ruined! These two have no idea just how hard a hardflip is to execute-down stairs no less and land perfectly, it's not called a hardflip for no reason! Of course, I can't expect them to understand the slightest, it's not like they've ever actually tried skateboarding or committed to it-they were the types that think it's cool to see others do it. Which is good, but they don't know all the time and effort-all of the falling that comes with it.

"So, are you here to sign up for Track and Field?" Miss cocky wisely changes the subject.

"I don't know since you're on the team...In the club."

"You hurt my feelings." Hitomi chuckles.

"Oh, now don't be like that Andrew." Shizuku makes it a point to smack me on the shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze for extra measure. "I think you'll be a perfect addition to the Track and Field club."

"What if I don't want to join?"

"You heard the President. So, what do you want to do? Hurdles? Sprint?" Hitomi decides to butt in, of course, flashing me another one of her trademark cocky smiles.

"Um..."

"You know, we can decide later after seeing what you've got. Just sign your name here."

Hitomi shoves a clipboard right in my face before I can even make a response. Thanks to my reflexes I take a few steps back just in time before it could crash against the bridge of my nose, no doubt causing me a small measure of pain. Getting hit in the nose wasn't fun by any means, eyes watered, snot ran in the back of the throat, and overall it left the person getting hit completely vulnerable. I may be a Kampfer, but I think getting hit in the nose will still have the same effect, or even worse.

"You almost hit me with that damn thing..." I grouse, snatching the clipboard out of her hand, and snatch the pen right out of her hand, too. I send my best scowl her way, mustering all of my annoyance I've felt for the last ten minutes to give it more power.

Hitomi just shrugs. "Just hurry up and sign it."

How dare this little...I should shove the clipboard in her face like she did with me, and for good measure start drawing on her face with this pen, because she'd dodge the clipboard knowing I'd want to get my just revenge-but she wouldn't be expecting the pen to come scribbling across her stupid cocky face. I swear by the end of two months I am going to be in anger management because of these people!

I sign my name, shoving the clipboard into her arms and draw line right on the side of her face with the pen before she can snatch it away.

"That's real mature." She licks one of her fingers and starts to wipe at my revenge.

I just shrug. "I signed it, what's the big deal?"

Shizuku escorts me away, picking up her pace. "Now, I need you to man the ticket stand."

"Why?"

"Because, that's where all the students and parents will be coming in. I need you to work on your social skills."

* * *

"Hiya, girly!"

I shut the door to my apartment, locking it for extra measure. I don't want anyone coming in, and I don't want to see anyone. I've seen enough people for one day and that involves a lot of girls and boys acting all stupid and gushing when I gave them a ticket...The girls were rubbing it against their cheeks while the boys were well, they were being boys and it really got on my nerves. Between the two I'm not sure who was worse-the girls and their stupid gushing, or the guys and their stupid staring.

"Blleeehhh!" I make a face at Stubby Bear, not returning his greeting in the most pleasant of ways, but I've had a rough day and I told him not to call me girly! I open up my fridge, taking out some more leftovers from the Italian shop and some ingredients to make Yakitori and some Sesame chicken. Those snacks at the school were all good, but I always prefer a home cooked meal rather than a little snack-fast food.

"You had a rough day, I see."

"You have no idea..." I grouse while shaking my head.

He seems to consider my statement before making a response. "Well, what happened? Did your boobs come flying out?"

I growl lowly, cutting my eyes at the stuffed animal. I don't think he's a pervert, but he's way too free talking about my bosom. He could have a healthy appetite as some people put it, but I don't think that's any different than being a pervert. Maybe he has appreciation, but that'd mean he's appreciating my body...

"No, they did not. Besides being woken up way too early for my taste and having to wear this ridiculous outfit; I fell before I got to school. I got a full tour, which was pretty good I suppose. I had to see the person that made me fall the other day when I was going to get Italian from that one shop-had to deal with her stupid cocky face, but I scribbled on it with a pen, so that's good too. After that I had to man this ticket stand..."

"Oh no, you had to be around so many people."

"Exactly. All of the girls were gushing and doing all of this weird shit with their tickets, the boys were being boys and staring at me. They came back asking for more tickets, despite not using their first ticket. The girls started hanging around me and asking if I had a boyfriend or a girlfriend, when I told them to go away they just started gushing again like morons with stars and hearts in their eyes-I don't even know how that's possible to have either of those in eyes, but yeah that's been my day."

"Sounds eventful, but at least your boobs didn't fly out, and your skirt didn't rip when you fell before."

I sigh, nodding my head. That was a very good thing. "I guess that's a positive, good thing is I don't have to go to school or the following days until next week."

"See, so all is well!" Stubby Bear exclaims, glancing at my plate of Lasagna as I pull it out of the microwave.

"Anyways, I signed up for the Track and Field club. What were you up to all day while I was gone?" I take a chunk out of my Lasagna and shove it in my mouth while pushing some off to the side of the plate so Stubby Bear can eat as well.

I don't need him begging like he had been at the airport-the only thing missing had been drool, seriously.

"Well, I was watching your Godzilla movies."

"I hope in order, at least with those three I mentioned."

Stubby Bear makes a sound similar to a snort before grabbing a fork and eating some of the leftovers I had just gave him. "You really take the fun out of it. But, yeah I did. Though in the Astro Monster movie they failed to point out that Mothra helped Godzilla and Rodan defeat that three headed dragon. I guess they didn't care too much about continuity."

"King Ghidorah." I correct.

"Excuse me for not being such a nerd when it comes to the Godzilla franchise."

"That'd be Toho."

I mean it was the company that created Godzilla-they had multiple other movies as well, but Godzilla could be their best known and famous one of all time.

"Nerd."

I snort at his statement and grab some Parmesan cheese. I sprinkle it on my share, careful not to douse it in the cheese and put some on Stubby Bear's. I don't have much of this left, besides the Lasagna all I have now is some Spaghetti and Garlic Bread. So I get started on the Yakitori after finishing off my portion of the plate and get the ingredients needed to prepare the sauce first before rummaging through the fridge, pulling out two packs of chicken.

"Oh, get this...There's a Kick Volleyball club there."

"What are they smoking?" Stubby Bear asks while laughing, falling on his back as it became too much to remain sitting up. I don't think he'll choke doing such a thing, he is a stuffed animal and has no windpipe or anything like that-also doesn't have to worry about food getting lodged in his throat from such an action either.

"Must be some good shit. Kick Volleyball, seriously..." I laugh along with Stubby Bear at the sheer idiocy of that whole thing.

Shizuku had encouraged me to join it, but I'd look like a real idiot joining something like that. Volleyball is a hands only sport, but at that school they added kicking to it, which really didn't make any sense. Someone can't kick a Volleyball the same way they can hit with their hands, the balancing is different than a Soccer ball which is made for kicking. I'm not sure if those people in the club were smoking some good shit, or tripping off of shrooms, and anyone who was joining it had to be on both.

There was no question about it.

"So, what are you going to do tomorrow since you're not going to school?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Shop for women clothes and actually get some bras and panties or corsets? I found some online on these sites, maybe you could browse through them?"

I bring the knife down a little too hard and split the chicken breast in the wrong spot. As long as I can help it I will not be wearing either of those three things, and definitely not a corset. That was just...It was way too much, besides hindering breathing the whole article of clothing was just too much. It was created to hold the girls in place, but it squeezed every single inch and left nothing to the imagination. There's no way I could even wear that.

"What!?"

"It's not like I ordered them or anything like that. You're just looking, where is the harm in that?"

I sigh, not able to believe I'm really about to say this. But, since Stubby Bear took the time to browse through multiple sites and put a lot of thought into this, it'd be mean as well as just wrong to not see what he chose. Even if I'm going to die of shock and embarrassment. "I guess I can look since you went through all of that effort, but that's as far as it goes. And, I don't want to hear one stupid comment come out of your mouth."

"Maybe tomorrow you can-"

"I'm going to sleep in you idiot! Get your head out of the gutter..."


	5. Chapter 5

It feels great being able to sleep in. I just love this. Not being disturbed by Shizuku for her own fabricated and lame reasons. I mean she's the President of the Student Body, but she needed my help with the stupid festival and making sure it went all perfectly.

Really I feel like she had ulterior motives with having me there in the first place. Why else would she have me, who doesn't like people, be around so many people at one time. More importantly, she made sure everyone within the school seen me when I was manning the ticket stand.

Then there was meeting that weird ass girl Sakura. I don't care about appearances, honestly, but there is something very wrong with that girl. She's a devious little shit or something, people aren't just that bubbly and kind otherwise. There's always a curtain to hide that darkness. Remove the curtain and the darkness is too much.

Perhaps something could have went awry had I meant that girl later, like I could smack her over the head with my skateboard trucks or something, because she just creeped me out. I could have just walked away from her and be completely rude, which I wouldn't even care since the stupid girl would leave me alone and take the hint.

I probably shouldn't even be so worried about it, but I can't help but be a little wary. Is Sakura a Kampfer? Is she a Moderator? If she's a Kampfer what color bracelet does she wear? Does she even wear a bracelet? And, if she is a Moderator would that mean all Moderators are humans, or is one Moderator taking control of her?

Questions, way too many damn questions that have no answers to them. I can't get any answers to them. The more I ponder the more blanks I'm just going to draw up and become frustrated. There is nothing to say that Sakura is one or the other—but Kampfer gather in one place.

By all means Sakura could very well be a Kampfer.

It just brings me back to how asinine it is for me to really take school serious. I never did, but with the way things are proceeding that entire school is going to be full of Kampfer, and given that I'm black, and there are white Kampfer, well that means there will be a yellow or orange Kampfer. Both.

I won't even attempt to blow off the possibility or call bullshit on it. Everything about my entire situation just defies logic, and using logic just makes it all the more confusing. So, I'm not going to be so narrow minded as to think there aren't or won't be more Kampfer with different bracelets besides red, blue, black, and white.

That school is going to turn into a war zone. It's going to be hell if everyone in that school—boys and girls included became Kampfer. There will be fights going on inside of the school, going on before school, going on during school, going on after school, and going on while we'd be on our way home.

There won't be a single second of peace, at all.

Which brings me to my next topic.

Stubby Bear had been focused, because he had a multitude of these obscene ass outfits for sale, mind you, on women clothing sites. He had been laughing seeing my reaction, and if it were possible he'd have had tears in his eyes.

I'll admit that some of the things he chose weren't so obscene. The bras looked pretty comfortable at least, and even the panties looked a bit comfortable. Not like I'm going to actually wear either of them, but it's the thought that counts right? Or is it the sentiment?

The corsets were just…Too much. I couldn't see myself in one of those. Being squeezed to death from my front, back, sides, and every curve in between. It'd keep my bosom in place, but I like being comfortable—not squeezed.

It didn't stop Stubby Bear from opening his stupid mouth.

"Are you going to-"

"If you even ask, so help me..." I can't even finish my sentence. I don't want to finish the train of thought. It is still extremely weird on so many levels, even if I am like...This…

That whole thing is just foreign to me. As long as I can help it I will not be getting anything remotely pertaining to that.

I'll look, but that's it, and even that is a bit much for my taste.

"You're going to be fighting one day, and your boobs are going to fly out of your shirt. I don't want to hear the ten hour rant about it."

He seems to get a real laugh out of that at my expense. It'd be nothing short of horrifying if my boobs were ever revealed to anyone's eyes except for mine-if there is one thing that I have to be afraid of at the moment it'd be my boobs flying out of my shirt. But, there are alternatives to bras, and I will use those alternatives.

I have been.

Around here though in my privacy, I can't care less, I'll walk around naked if I please.

"I do not rant…"

"And, what about-"

"I've cut my boxers short. Shut up!"

"What about a corset?"

No!"

I shake the images out of my mind, but some still linger. That's what women used to wear before that one woman, I can't remember her name, invented the bra.

A corset is like skin tight—so skin tight that it's more than skin tight, and only gets tighter-some women prided themselves on it, but they'd suffer because fluid would build up in their lungs I mean, it does keep the boobs in place. It'd keep them in place, even mine easily enough—it is what it's made for after all aside from the waist.

I won't be able to breathe, and it's still along those lines that I'm not stepping over.

"You sure are stubborn."

I'm very proud of my stubbornness.

Yeah, that was just so fricking pleasure able.

Stupid perverted bear!

I shake my head, just focusing on cooking while Stubby Bear eats. I won't even break the silence, when he's quiet he is much better.

"Hey girlie, what's the matter?"

"I'm just thinking..." I speak quietly, my troubling thoughts continuing to run rampant from before. I open up the window just above the sink.

That's better, I was starting to get a bit too hot with this over and burners on and all. The heat also didn't help with cooling my head the slightest, if anything its persistence just made it all that much worse for me.

"Humans think too much…" Stubby Bear says while tilting his head at me, chowing down into a plate of food.

"Yeah, and you don't think enough..."

"I think with my stomach."

I laugh at that statement. Yeah, the little guy isn't very far off with that statement. He does think with his stomach more than anything—if he has one. I mean he has those entrails, but they're not inside of his body, so…

Point being Stubby Bear only thinks with his stomach.

I'm not surprised.

"So, are you going to go for that Ramen chef thing you were talking about before?"

"I don't know, I get the feeling I'm not going to have much time to do anything." I shrug absently, leaving out the fact the reason I will not have much time is because I'll be too busy fighting other Kampfer.

"I think you should do it, then you can make me ramen whenever I want it!" He exclaims happily, getting off of the counter and trudging to the couch before jumping up and taking a seat.

"Don't get my movies dirty."

"I don't want to suffer your wrath. Wake me up when it's done."

"Lazy good for nothing…" I grouse, stabbing the chicken breast with a fork while contemplating if I should throw him down the hall or tie him upside down for the rest of the day. How dare he just relegate me to his maid to cook for him whenever he so pleases.

I bet if I dump that steaming ramen between his legs it'll hurt.

That'll show that stupid bear to speak to me so freely!

I wonder if this is how some woman feel about their good for nothing husbands The stupid oafs just sit around waiting for them to cook and feed them—and it's not a bad thing. But, usually the man is a hard worker and a good husband, but someone like Stubby Bear would be good for shit. No income. No motivation. No nothing.

He'd be the type to drive around in his wife's mom's car while saying he's saving up money to buy his own car, but can't go to work consistently.

Moron…

I would really like to go back to sleep, but like Stubby Bear just said I am cooking, so first I'll eat and then go to sleep. Maybe I'll turn on one of my Godzilla movies if Stubby Bear hasn't done so already and relax to that before going to sleep. It's always been easy for me to fall asleep while any of the movies are on—I'm sure a lot of people have a hard time dozing off with a monster roaring, but for me it's not even a nuisance.

I grab my headphones and find the first song I had been listening to—Eazy E

Of course I put it on full blast.

Unlike a lot of foreigners I'm immersing myself in Japanese culture, and just the way of life. They're very proper—no they're very courteous. There's whole honorific thing, too. While I don't quite understand it, honestly, I do understand it from a significance standpoint.

My Japanese is still laughable, but at least people can understand what I am saying.

A lot of my meals so far have been fish based, while they do sell chicken and the like—Japan is an island, so their main food source is seafood. Of course they have their buffets, with the Genral Tso chicken and things of the like, but I'm getting that more…Rustic, authentic food so to speak.

I've had Urchins. Cuttlefish. Squid. Octopus. Sashimi. Sushi, of course. Ramen. Oden. Some other things. I haven't got sick or anything, some people tend to be narrow minded and won't eat it because they think that they'll get sick, or it looks "weird".

One's digestive system has to adjust, of course.

"Hey! There's someone at the door."

"The hell!?" I erupt, swing my fist right for Stubby Bear. My body relaxes just slightly when I connect with him, sending the obnoxious thing flying across the kitchen and into the wall dividing the two rooms and hallway.

"Why'd you do that? Scare the shit out of me…" I glare, narrowing my eyes for extra effect as I march towards him, groaning as I hear my headphones clatter onto the ground.

"Mmmghh..." Stubby Bear speaks gibberish for a second before he can even get a word out. I'm not sure if it hurt him or not, I probably didn't since I didn't pull his entrails, I think that would hurt more than my punch, but I just hope he gets the damn point and doesn't try to do this shit again.

Scaring the shit out of me like this.

"I don't know who it is, but they've been knocking for _ten_ minutes now. You have you music so loud I can hear it where I'm sitting—I bet they can hear it! Answer the door!" Stubby Bear snaps with a bit of annoyance backing his tone.

"They'll go away...I don't want company."

"Well, they're not going away. It's more than one person, if you need me I'll be in your room."

"You good for nothing!" I kick him right on the ass, sending him blurring through the hallway, finally crashing into the wall and rolling off to one side. I take in my handiwork, nodding in approval as I march towards the door.

Whoever this is will be suffering my wrath!

It could be Okemi...Maybe they've put in a fancy hot spring or something. Or maybe, it could be something else?

I'm too aggravated to guess.

I open the door, ready to bust heads.

"About time you answer, the hell were you doing that took you so damn long!?"

"Yeah! What gives?"

"Good morning, Andrew."

"What in the hell!?"

"S-sorry, Andrew-san." Natsuru—in girl form, scratches her head sheepishly while smiling the best she can. It's a little half assed on her part. I can still feel that she is sincere.

Shizuku laughs softly, pressing her fingers into her hair before doing her neat little hair flip.

I look at Akane carefully-red hair, no glasses, red eyes.

This must be her Kampfer form.

Talk about an emotional shift. I don't know her that well, but she seems to be a quiet and meek girl.

"Oh, Andrew-san. I see you've made more new friends! That's very good." Okemi, again, graces me with her presence.

A soft smile adorns her face as she looks at us with that small smile of her's, and I know I look far less impressive than Shizuku. I don't care though, the only thing on my mind is slamming the door on their faces and taking my ass right back to the kitchen to continue cooking.

"We go to the same school!" Mikoto says—more like yells.

"Yeah…" I scratch the back of my head, holding back my outburst for the moment. _Girl has a megaphone mouth._

"I am Okemi, the landlord of this apartment complex." She and the trio—Akane, Mikoto, and Natsuru bow to each other.

"We were just here to visit him and maybe spend the night. School is tomorrow after all. We can walk there together, then." Shizuku explains.

"I'll leave you to it then, ladies."

This is the last thing that should happen right now.

In fact, I am not going to allow it to happen. Shizuku being here with me at night, yeah I think I'm going to wake up in a cold sweat every five minutes.

"I actually plan on finishing my dinner, and then going to sleep." I offer nothing else, because that's all there is to it. The four of them are going to be taking their leave. Shizuku will not be strutting her piercing eyes ass into my apartment, flipping her hair, hell no.

"Hold on!" Mikoto immediately lunges for me.

"I'm not about to be sent off after coming all of this way, I'm hungry from the walk." Akane stares me down, eyes hard and frown locked in place.

I turn around and the next thing I know I can hear the sound of a gun cocking. Like I said before, this is a bad idea, and I hate to see my cynical thoughts manifesting like this.

"Akane, stop!" Natsuru shoves her arms down, keeping the gun in a way she won't be able to fire. Easily at least.

"Can we come in, Andrew-san. So they calm down?"

"Shut the door and lock it."

I sigh, nodding my head reluctantly. Yes, it'd do no good to have that…That bitch shooting up the whole damn place and getting me kicked out. I know Stubby Bear said something about the Kampfer transformations being more than physical—I guess Akane is a special case.

Her personality shifts…

Jeez.

"You know, this is my last day before I have to go to school."

"Oh well. What are you cooking? I've brought some curry!" Mikoto asks, blinking her eyes as she walks into the living room, just a few feet away from the kitchen.

"Woah, you're watching Gojira!"

"My brother likes this movie." Akane comments.

"Thank you for inviting me for dinner." Shizuku smiles, Stepping right passed me I'll add and depositing her little bag on the arm of the couch.

"What the hell are you saying? I didn't invite you. You just showed up, again." Glaring at Shizuku, I make no move to conceal my annoyance with her folly. She is just sitting on my couch along with Mikoto, ass all on my blankets with her one leg crossed over the other.

Mikoto takes it step forward and lays down.

She's enthralled with the movie.

Akane isn't more modest and just plops down herself.

I've heard of the saying walking in, kicking off shoes, and then putting smelly ass feet and socks up on the table and it's not even your own house-but this is kind of a stretch.

They are literally just making themselves all comfy, where I was going to eat later.

I am tempted to drench them!

"Well, maybe it is fate. It's the sentiment that matters the most." Shizuku simpers.

"I don't have time to entertain your folly."

I ignore her in favor of setting my sights on Natsuru. This dolt is just standing there looking completely out of her element, most likely because I'm visibly aggravated and don't really want her or the others here and she can pick up on that.

She's also nervous because the way the trio just helped themselves, and Natsuru being so modest would have waited until I told her to sit down before even moving for a seat. Either he, she at the moment, has very good home training and was raised up in a strict household, or just very modest and has good manners.

"I'm really sorry, Andrew-san-"

"You don't need to add the honorifics. Just sit down anywhere I guess, I have to finish cooking."

Natsuru sits down between Shizuku and Mikoto, resting her hands in her lap.

"What do you guys want to drink…No, I'll just bring out juice." I amend my first mistake.

This is my domain so they're going to drink what I bring out. Shizuku has already claimed her little spot for that stupid bag of hers on the arm of my couch, I am not going to tolerate that, or any of the others trying to stake a claim on my couch or anything else in my apartment!

"No tea?" Shizuku looks at me with that little look.

"I like juice more."

"Tea is more appropriate."

"I like juice more."

Shizuku smiles at me, eyes shining bright. "Do you have tea?"

"No."

"I guess I will indulge in this then. Next time have some tea, I don't mind it's hot or cold."

"What am I your maid?"

"Ahh, now there's an idea. You'd look cute in a little maid costume."

"Be quiet."

Before I entertain her more I retreat to the kitchen and get back to work. Tonight is going to be some Tempura, some vegetables, rice, and some chicken. I'm not going to go all out like I had before, I bought that tuna at the market and everything-thing costed me seventy thousand yen in the end, and I definitely got my money's worth.

I've always enjoyed cooking, but I don't like doing the dishes afterwards. Three nights ago I made a huge meal, when I bought Sea Urchins from the market with some other things, and had to spend an hour almost cleaning the dishes afterwards—I could have took advantage of the dishwasher, but some of that sauce would have remained on my plates and silverware.

"Mikoto, where's your curry?" I pose the question after I'm done getting everything ready on their individual plates.

She slams it right on the table. The whole thing shakes, plates almost clatter to the floor.

"Right here!"

"Can you not slam things so hard…? Idiot." I give her a deadly glare.

"You're an idiot!"

"Use your inside voice, idiot."

"Stupid."

I don't retort, slowly getting distracted by a…Powerful aroma.

It's not fart by any chance, and if it is I definitely am not the one that cut wind. I've always been discreet with that, and now that I am the way I am—well I'm even more discreet than usual. Other than that fact, fart doesn't smell like this at all, it doesn't make my eyes water or nose burn, and it stinks…This doesn't stink, but I know it's dreadfully spicy.

Curry if I am not mistaken has Chile peppers, Chile powder, and Chile dust mixed in with it. Some curries have potatoes, others don't, some are more fish based, and some are more chicken based. Others have ground beef, noodles, rice, it's quite a fancy dish—spicy as hell though.

There are a variety of Chile peppers and those last two I mentioned, in this curry.

I'm not even going to try to eat it—I like spicy and hot food, but I don't mess with Chile peppers. Things are too damn hot.

I make myself comfortable after filling up my plate—this is my domain after all, and I will eat how I want. I don't even bother to tell the trio I'm done cooking, it isn't until Mikoto comes with her own share, as well a steaming bowl of curry that the trio finally get the hint.

Akane mutters something I don't care to pick up.

"It's okay if we eat?" Natsuru asks a bit meekly.

"It'd be rude if I eat in front of you, and I don't like sharing." I shrug, using a fork to work away at my meal. I may be immersing myself in the culture and way of life, but I've never been able to use chopsticks, and still can't even after spending a few hours trying to get the hang of it. Four nights ago noodles were all in my lap.

I've sworn off chopsticks since.

"You didn't take any of the curry."

I look at Shizuku, halfhearted annoyance starting to take a firm grip of me. I know she isn't going to start pestering me to take the curry just to be polite. It's better for me to refrain from eating it rather than being polite, eating some, and spitting it back out because it's way too damn hot.

"It's too spicy, even smelling it makes me cough."

"Ah."

I point my eyes onto my fancy TV, Stubby Bear put on one of my Godzilla movies before he left, well me punting him through the apartment to be accurate. It's one of the more comical based ones, which give the monsters themselves personalities so to speak, instead of having them being mindless masses of destruction.

Ishiro Honda didn't want the monsters to be so…What's the word…Kayfabe? He wanted them to remain as they were from the beginning, and wanted to keep the tone of Godzilla more serious and angst. With this movie—Ghidorah the Three Headed Monster, it introduced the monster perspective and added a comical element that would eventually lead to them stopping all production on the series from about 1975 to 1985.

Many say the comic element killed the series in the end, and they may be correct. But, this movie despite its comedy is tremendous in my opinion, and King Kong vs Godzilla is completely comical to an extreme extent—the whole movie itself lacks a serious feel to it. Though, in fairness in the seventies StarWars among other movies were coming out, and Godzilla couldn't compete with that.

But, the movies are revolutionary, and for the times they were brilliantly done, and done in such a way that had never been seen before. There wasn't any stop motion like with King Kong from 1933.

"Can we change the movie?"

"No." I glare at the red head, feeling a burst of aggravation flow through me.

I don't like her demanding tone, nor the way she thinks I am going to just change it because she asked me to. She wants to change it herself, but she isn't going to overstep those boundaries, at least not at this moment. I won't be surprised if she tried now.

Did she find it fit to just cut into my thoughts and zoning out time like Shizuku? If so there's going to be a huge change underway at this very moment, and that will be she keeps her big mouth shut so I can enjoy my silence.

"You know we're your guests. Wouldn't it be rude if you just hog the TV all to yourself?"

I'm almost quick to retort that it's my TV and it's my rules, but I'll sound like a three year old, and most of all it's not a sound argument against Shizuku's statement. They're my guests, so I should let them watch what they want, because that'd be the polite and reasonable thing to do. It'd be a show of hospitality on my part to just allow them to do as they please with my TV.

I really want to watch this movie, and now Akane is interfering…

"Well, we did show up unannounced." Natsuru comes to my aid, fending off the trio of restless eaters the best she can. Which, isn't much by the way—her words have the opposite effect they should, and only spur Akane to grate on my nerves.

Mikoto looks pretty content, I'd guess she's a fan of this series as well, but Shizuku and Akane are anything but fans of this series. Akane may have watched it with her brother, Shizuku probably just watched it here and there or a few clips, but neither of them are diehard fans like myself.

I don't know if Mikoto is a diehard fan, but the fact she's content to watch it means she has a great taste.

"True, but she was prepared for our unexpected arrival." Shizuku is slow to respond to Natsuru's statement. My line of defense at this moment, which is looking to be more like a balloon surrounded by a landscape of thorns and cactuses. It's just more of a tease than anything.

"Fine…"

I change the setting from video to HDMI—1080p, check me out!

I toss the remote to Akane, who catches it, but doesn't miss the chance to glower at me. This girl is going to be a thorn in my side, and is a real bitch, it is unfortunate she is in my apartment.

I did toss that a bit harder than I normally would…It's rough adjusting to this change.

"What are you looking at?"

I snort.

"Okay, princess. Enjoy yourself, or I'm going to change the channel back."

"Heh." Akane smirks at me.

Yes, it can be your little victory.

I ignore her completely. I'm not going to look at her, I'm not even going to glance in her direction. Mikoto is more rambunctious than anything—she doesn't have a bitchy attitude like Akane does at the moment. While I pretend she doesn't exist, I'm not even going to acknowledge Akane's existence at this moment.

Thankfully she stays quiet, other than muttering a few things that I don't care to pick up. As long as she stays quiet I'm all dandy, Akane like this is much more pleasant silent than anything else. I know the transformation is supposed to alter the personality accordingly so the person is better able to fight, but this is one extreme.

Natsuru must be on an extreme end of it as well. I mean in girl form he has a body, a body that'd make most girls jealous. It showed that as a boy he wasn't much, he wasn't athletic or anything of the sort, no real muscle mass, and never played any sports. I just say this because of my observations.

Shizuku's hair—a part of it just turns white. So, there's really no shift. No need for the transformation to supplement or intensify anything. Other than becoming a certain type nothing changed for her, in that regard, other than a part of her hair.

And, me, well…

I don't even want to entertain whatever the hell this shit is that's going on.

"Andrew, will you try Mikoto's curry?"

"You haven't ate one bite."

"It's too spicy." Natsuru sighs.

Mikoto for some unknown reason that I can't begin to fathom, glares at me with pure fury and Natsuru, but I feel like this glare is all directed at me.

"That stuff is too hot for me, and it'd be rude for me to spit it out." I say shamelessly, sipping on my juice.

"Would you rather me not eat it at all or try it and spit it out because it's too hot for me to swallow?"

I've spit food out before, in private. It's definitely not something I've tried to make a habit of doing in front of others. I also know that doing such a thing here is a sign of true disrespect and no house training at all—I think that'd be down the board, but people are more formal and strict here. I really don't want to insult Mikoto, nor make a fool out of myself as I drink the ten bottles of water in my fridge.

Mikoto is silent, contemplating.

She really is a foolish girl. Led by her emotions more than anything, I know women are more emotional than me, but there really has to be a limit. Mikoto is more emotional than most woman, and rather than use her intellect she just lets her emotions guide her.

She could be quite funny, in the future.

Little Mikoto.

"When you put it like that." Mikoto leans back, eyes shining with understanding.

"Would it not be rude of you to not take one bite?"

It's getting to a point where Shizuku is purposely starting to push my buttons and grind my gears. I have come to this conclusion from one simple thing that she has done. The line she has crossed. Coming here and waking me up was the clear indication she took amusement in me becoming aggravated with her.

Of course she has to use logic though.

It would be rude if I didn't.

"You could take one bite." Mikoto finally concludes.

"Go, ahhh." Shizuku simpers.

She will not be feeding me.

"I can eat it myself!" I glare at her with all I have, not faltering at all when she smiles at me. I am truly annoyed with this turn of events, and the fact my tongue is about to burn off. The spoon is a heaping spoonful of curry—I can see the Chile seeds, parts of dry Chiles, and whatever else Mikoto put in here.

I bite the bullet.

It's okay at first.

A nice little bit of spice.

"Hot!" I go for my cup of juice, but Shizuku snatches it away.

I bolt upright, barely able to stand up. My eyes are tearing, I'm sweating, and my whole mouth is on fire! I can't even restrain myself at this point, if I don't get something cold in my mouth fast I'm going to be in for hours of this!

I lunge at the irritating girl, forcibly try to take my juice away.

It's an epic fail, Shizuku is victorious and just grins at me.

"Give me it! Now!"

I cough. My eyes start tearing up.

"If you want relief…"

"Shizuku, give me my juice now!" I almost snarl, snatching the pitcher of juice off the table and drinking it just like that.

"You have zero manners." Akane comments.

"Like you're one to talk, princess."

"Stop calling me that."

Mikoto looks at me, disappointment evident. "You have no tolerance at all, just like Natsuru."

I find little relief, and the juice is all gone.

This is crazy!

"Kiss me."

"President, just give her the juice. What are you doing?"

"I agree with Natsuru."

I know this girl really likes to push my buttons, but she really can't be this cruel and sick. I've eaten spicy food, and more than anything it is persistent. It lingers. It hits with potency. There's levels of spiciness.

I can eat Jalapenos, they'd be the lowest, I really don't eat Habaneros, but I can handle them. Then above a Habanero is the Chile pepper, I think, and from there on it's a whole different level of spicy.

It's the sort of thing you eat, and your tongue tingles from the sudden burn, and then starts to almost throb because it stuck.

This shit hurts!

My throat is burning!

I run to the kitchen, like a klutz, I damn near stub my toe. My reaction is something akin to out of a comedy silent movie, as I avoid stubbing my toe I nearly crash into the chair on my left side, sending me toppling over.

I grab my tray of ice cubes.

One after another they melt, drenching my scorching tongue, cooling my burning throat—the water running into the sink as I lean over it. I must look like a fool, and this is truly ridiculous. However, as long as I can combat this burning I don't care how I look.

My tongue is so hot that it's actually melting the ice faster by the second; it can just be me and my imagination at this moment. The ice gives me some relief, but the burn still lingers.

"Andrew-san, here." Natsuru taps my shoulder with some urgency, and I oblige the silly girl.

I take the juice from her hand without any delay and sip it, but unlike before I savor it, and let my tongue soak in it. Yes, note to self never, ever eat curry again—I'm really going to need to write this down somewhere, because doing something this foolish again would be stupid on my part.

I might not be able to eat now…

"Shizuku!"

I don't care at this very moment that I am…And, that Shizuku is a girl. Right now that boundary line is blurred by a scorching fire and nonexistent at best. The juice helps, and the ice cubes helped as well, but this burn is just so damn persistent.

I clear the distance between us, shoving Akane aside.

"Hey! What the hell are you-"

I slam my lips against Shizuku's, biting her lips until she parts them and then move my tongue against hers.

Clearly she is shocked, I can feel it in the way she stiffens up, the small subtle gasp that managed to escape her lips, and her normally steady eyes wide.

I'm shocked myself, but it doesn't matter—my tongue and throat are on fire!

I am relentless in my need to quell this burning, every time she pulls away I jerk her back, and to ensure she stays locked in place I wrap an arm around her so she's right against me. I lift her up as well, because she's not going to get loose—her tongue is going to burn just like mine.

"Andrew-"

She manages to break contact, but it doesn't last long. I remain relentless.

I shove her back on the couch.

After minutes-when the burn subsides a good bit, I break our contact, releasing Shizuku from my crushing grasp trying to avoid her gaze, and the trio's. But, I can't take my eyes off of Shizuku. We both remain in place.

I'm silent.

She has this…Smile on her face.

"Never do that again!" I say with some finality, breaking the awkward silence surrounding everything within a ten thousand mile radius.

"You're a fool." Akane snorts, but a smirk crosses her face.

"What is it that I did?" Shizuku's eyes shine.

Truly Shizuku is enjoying herself.

"Making me eat curry, you're not innocent."

She simpers, gently sitting herself up while fixing her hair. "If you do that every time you eat curry…Maybe we can make a game out of it. Natsuru has a weak tolerance for it as well."

"Don't get any ideas!"

Natsuru and I nearly speak in unison, objecting the ludicrous notion of ever making a game out of this. Making a game out of our suffering. I have no doubt that Natsuru will smack lips with one of them just to get relief—if I did it then the fool definitely would.

Things calm down a bit, but there's still awkwardness that just can't be dissipated. It just lingers.

I and Shizuku were just…And, I initiated the whole thing on top of it, though she paved the way for it to happen in the first place. I never usually did such things in front of people, but my hand was forced. It was either relief or burning tongue.

I find some relief, but my tongue still burns. So, I guzzle down juice and ice water.

Twenty minutes later, with a block of ice on my tongue, the burning finally goes away.

"…You kiss just like a boy…." Shizuku whispers in my ear. "How…Exciting."

"Y-you're way too close. Back up."

I feel dread as a grin crosses her face.

"I'm going to wash up first if you don't mind? Will you show me the way to the bathroom?"

Honestly, I'm not sure if that's such a good idea. While I will not kiss her again, the implications of this whole thing are glaringly clear. She's already tried to peek in on me naked before, and I wasn't foolish enough then, and I am not now to believe she isn't going to try something.

"Just don't try anything funny."

"What do you mean? You're the one that just took control."

"Because you set it on that path."

"I wonder about that…"

I look at her with barely suppressed annoyance. There's no way I led things onto that path, no that is just foolish and I'd never put things onto a path like that. This girl is very good with words, and perceiving, but she also seems to be a bit…

Anyways, I didn't lead things onto that path.

"Don't take forever." I take pleasure in reining things back under my control.

My apartment, my rules.

* * *

Nothing happens overnight, thankfully. Nothing happened when I had been taking a shower, either, triple thankfully. After what happened and everyone got washed up I got my array of blankets and pillows, depositing them on the floor and couches. Now, I would have went into my room but the couch is very comfortable, and I didn't want Shizuku in my room.

I don't want her anywhere near my room.

Natsuru ended up sleeping on the floor, not that she really had too much of a problem with it that I could tell. There were about twenty something blankets just on the floor, so she'd be comfortable at the very least.

There is just one problem, and that is the fact I will not be able to not go to school, like I had originally planned. I did plan on checking out the skate parks here, also getting a new pair of skate shoes because these are getting really torn up. If I don't go to one of the skate parks I'll just skate around the city.

And, most of all I have to wake up early.

"Andrew."

" _What?_ "

"It's time to wake up."

" _Shut up._ "

"Crude of you."

I'm hit with a pillow.

"Wake up."

I really don't have the energy for this since it is so early, so I just get myself up and start stretching out. Another day of wearing that ridiculous outfit—great.

Akane is back to her normal self—emerald eyes, brown hair, and she's putting her glasses back on.

She takes critical note of me, and I ponder what is going to come out of her mouth based on her current reaction to just seeing me. If it's an apology she can really keep it, she was jabbing me, and I simply jabbed her back. I wanted to keep my movie on, she wanted to watch something else.

We are both incredibly stubborn.

"When I transform my personality changes." Akane says a bit meekly.

"It's fine, we're both stubborn."

I'm not going to hold it against her. She is more than willing enough to apologize, so I should be more than willing to let it drop.

"So, are you and the President dating?"

I struggle not to glare at Mikoto, still in her sleepwear and rubbing both of her eyes. Well, just like me she isn't a morning person, but I can't care less about that at this moment. She's opening her big mouth without thinking about what she is saying.

"Mikoto, you just can't ask questions like that." Natsuru is quick to reproach the shorter girl, giving her a somewhat annoyed look mixing some disappointment in with it for extra measure.

"The way those two were making out yesterday, I just want to know." Mikito shrugs.

"It's because of the curry!" I bare my teeth at them for a moment.

I blush and hurry away from them—from Shizuku who just smiles at me, more importantly. I'm not going to try and object or defend what I did last night. It happened, and I willingly did it. I am not going to admit this out loud of course, because then that would imply there is something going on between her and I, and that's just not the case.

I have no doubt it was something to see.

Really, I can't believe I went through with it.

Just like I really can't believe I'm putting on this ridiculous school outfit, but I'm doing it. They really, really need to change the dress code and make it more open, because this right here isn't working for me the slightest even if it is normal for the girls to wear it. Of course, I slip on my skate shoes, depositing my school shoes into a bag.

There's no way I can hide my shock. Entering the living room I see all of them dressed in the same uniform as me, save for a few differences here and there. Honestly a lot of guys would give their arm and leg just to see these girls dressed the way they are.

Ah, ready to go." Shizuku looks me up and down.

"Yeah." I glare at her, grabbing my skateboard.

"Hey, I was wondering if I could ride that too."

I look at Mikoto.

"Not a chance."

"Will you teach me?"

"That would involve you using my board. No."

Mikoto glares, but I feel nothing at all.

"Not happening."

"Why not?!"

"It's my skateboard, as simple as that."

There's no way she's going to be stepping foot on my board for any reasons at all. Now, if she wants to buy her own board, then I can't really argue or anything of that sort—it's her skateboard after all. It'll come down to me wanting to teach her or not, when she does buy her own board. I wonder if she'll throw a tantrum if I say no.

"What if I buy my own? Will you teach me then?"

 _She's persistent…_

But, I've never been one to turn someone away that wants to learn. It should be very amusing seeing her fall and how well she can fall—sounds weird, but for anyone that really knows, it's a part of skateboarding.

"Sure."

"Really!?"

"I said yeah."

Mikoto grins a bit before giving me the peace sign—this girl is something else completely.

"Maybe we can go to the place now!"

"That's a great idea." I agree, slowly speeding up.

"Don't even think about it…"

"Shizuku, what are you doing!? I thought we were-"

"Way to scream like a little girl, Natsuru."

I have to make the comment.

"But-"

"She isn't going to attack me, but she will restrain me with her chains and haul me to school, upside down."

And, that is a fact. She's done it once already, and she will do it again.

"You're not so dense?" Shizuku tilts her head at me, though that sharp smile is in place.

"I am fully aware."

* * *

I make it to school on time, the ride here is the same as always. Smooth and full of obstacles—obstacles that I use as my platforms for tricks. Ledges. Rails. Stair sets. Even wooden benches, everything I came across was used for my expertise. I even do a few primos and rails, transitioning out smoothly, even taking it a step further and doing it switch—flipping out at the end.

This is amazing!

I coast and coast, defying gravity as I go. Rails and ledges are all obstacles, they're all mine. Switch. Mongo. Goofy. It doesn't matter what stance I take.

My switch treflip is amazing, and the landing is even more spectacular—bolts—perfect! The seven stair long behind me, and with the sharp turn that I've become accustomed I'm just a few blocks away from the school.

I find the four arriving at the front of the school with Sakura in tow—who is talking away at a million miles an hour, with most of her focus being on Natsuru. I am thankful I am not there because I'd be way too tempted to tell her to shut up. I don't mind talking, but being a motor mouth like she is at the very second is one thing I do mind.

It's more than a little weird that this girl is so enthralled with Natsuru that it appears she is actually infatuated with Natsuru—it's not like with Akane and Mikoto who just have feelings for him, nor Shizuku, but I have no idea what goes on in that head of hers. Back to the point, it is strange seeing this up close and in person.

That girl can't be so stupid that she really believes there is a girl Natsuru, a boy Natsuru, and they're not related at all. I mean this isn't a movie or something, there is no logical way to explain that sort of infatuation without going off into no field. Either she really is stupid, or there's something else going on that is just weird.

Why did my life become so complicated?

"Andrew, you skateboard?"

I look at Sakura. I narrow my eyes. I'm not exactly wary of her by any means, and I'm not afraid of her either. No, anything but either of those two things. But, she does feel off to me, and it could just be me, but that's how it is.

"Yeah."

"I know there's girls that are professionals, but isn't it more of a boy thing?"

"Gender doesn't matter."

I ignore everyone as I start to freestyle.

Primo. Rail. Casper.

"I'll see you later then! Nice seeing you again, Andrew-san!"

Brought out of my little world by Sakura's high pitched voice, I shake my head to clear away the haze that is surrounding me at the moment, and to give my ears a sliver of relief. My hearing has always been sensitive, but now that I am the way I am it's even more acute than before. It's a double edged blade, though.

Because with high pitched or loud noises like Sakura exclaiming, it hurt.

"Do you not like Sakura-san?"

I look at Natsuru carefully. There's no anger in her tone at all, or anything negative for that matter. She'd be really foolish to try and pick a fight with me. I sense urgency in her tone and body language though, something about me not liking Sakura, or the possibility of me not liking her really worries Natsuru. It's almost like I should like Sakura just because.

Well, that's not me, and I've never lived by anyone's tune.

"No. That girl has a big mouth, she's loud, and is just plain weird."

"What do you mean by weird?"

"She's weird. Something is off about her."

Either Natsuru is dense beyond dense, or whatever affection she at the moment, holds for Sakura just blinds her to any and everything. In short, Sakura could burn the whole world and this fool would try to reason and explain it away, take her side in the matter. She could take control of his mind and he wouldn't even think she did it.

It's going to be a hazard to my health to be around this clown, but for now I'll be okay. Sakura hasn't taken control of the fool's weak mind and send her on a killing spree, starting with yours truly. I hate to think there'd be something close to seduction going on, but if Sakura is to go off the rails then she would make Natsuru do such a thing.

"Nobody is like that without having a dark side."

"That's not true."

What I say seems to offend Natsuru—I don't care. It is the simple truth and a simple fact of life. Nobody is like that, period. Maybe when we're six years old, before life hardens us, and the hardships we endure start to harden our hearts over time. But, as we are now, young adults, nobody behaves that way. Nobody is that bubbly without hiding something.

"You're just a fool to think otherwise."

"Sakura is the nicest person ever-"

"Natsuru, drop it!"

"Andrew-"

I cut my eyes at the persistent little dolt.

She flinches back.

"Natsuru, go inside. You're going to be late. Mikoto and Akane, you two as well. Andrew, put on your other shoes."

Shizuku has spoken, and I barely listen to her. I'm too busy trying to suppress my urge to smash my fist right in Natsuru's face. Better yet, hitting her over the head with my trucks. I don't like Sakura, and it should have been left at that, but instead this clown is going to try and convince me otherwise—put the notion out there that I should like her like everyone else does. Just because she likes Sakura I should like her too…

That isn't how life works, and it's not how I work. I've never walked to anyone else's tune, I've done what I wat, when I want, and how I want. Nobody has ever influenced me into doing anything, I walk to my own tune, to the beat of my own drum, and I'm not going to stop now.

But, I do as told and slip off my skate shoes, putting on the other shoes while kicking my board up and catching it.

Akane looks at me for a long while before deciding to follow after Natsuru.

Odd…

"You really don't like Kaede-san."

I give Shizuku a dry expression. I'm not in the mood to hear another Natsuru about to go on why Sakura is the nicest and most adorable person ever. Yeah, not happening, I will turn my ass back around and go home. I have no problem with Shizuku, Natsuru, or anyone liking Sakura, but the second they start try shoveling things down my throat it's over.

"Something…Isn't right with that girl." I say after a few seconds of thought.

"You think that I would notice since she is my childhood friend."

"You're her friend, you wouldn't notice."

"Perhaps, but you notice."

"I'm not her friend, and haven't been her friend since I was a child."

"But, still."

I snort. I get the strange feeling that Shizuku is calling me stupid—something along those lines. Or, I'm smart. One of the two. Well, that doesn't strike me as a surprise.

And, of course Shizuku is her childhood friend, of course she spent hours and hours with Sakura—it'd explain why she is so damn weird herself.

Rather than state the obvious I turn my attention onto the campus hundreds of feet below me. These buildings are so massive and tall, it's just mind boggling, and this place is so huge that there's an actual campus.

I can't help but feel amazement.

This is going to be an experience. I seen a lot of these girls when I was manning that ticket stand, and a lot of them had those weird hearts in their eyes.

"I'm just ready to get this day over with. You're supposed to give me my schedule or something?"

"Yes, but we have to go in."

"Can we go around? Run up the walls or something?"

xxxxxxxxx

* * *

If things could have gotten any worse. The possibility is always there, lingering, fostering, and waiting to get millions of fools and geniuses alike, pouncing on them when the time arrives. Regardless of our upbringing, our wealth, our intellect we all face hardship in some way, shape, or form.

When someone thinks something couldn't get worse than it was, that's when things got worse. I don't think it could get any worse for me in my current situation, silly me I've had this thought for a while now, so it's only natural that things take another downward spiral.

Everywhere I walk girls are staring at me, some smile, some wave, and some just have those weird faces. Maybe it is because Shizuku is with me, she's very popular here after all, but the stares are being directed at me and her. None of the onlookers run up to Shizuku and I, they all keep their distance just seeming to admire us.

Weird, this is so weird. I've heard of fanboys and fangirls, but this is really a stretch.

At last we enter the main building. Relief is immediate as the only person staring at me is Shizuku—normally I'd be a little worried but since I was basically just ogled by all of those girls I'm not as concerned.

Never once has this happened to me, not one time that I can remember. People will look at me whenever I walked into a room, but it wasn't to such a point where everyone would just stop what they're doing to look at me. I mean this is a little on the obnoxious side, some of those girls were whispering things that I'd rather not entertain.

But, I have my sanctuary now.

"Jeez, we couldn't go around or something?"

"There's only one way here, and besides I had fun."

"My misfortune is your amusement…"

"I didn't think you were a masochist."

"Let's go!"

I let her lead me to her office—we take an elevator. No matter how many times I see it and actually on these things here it never ceases to amaze me. This is pretty damn awesome.

I take a seat on the chair in front of her large desk. I glance up at the dimly lit bulbs above me, turn my focus onto Shizuku who is shadowed by the light, and struggle to keep my sigh down. I thought just that one time she had been doing it to be dramatic, but this is how she really keeps her office, even when she is in private.

Shizuku is seriously weird.

"I'm going to go over a few things about the schedule."

"First thing is first, if you don't show up I will come to your apartment, as you have seen. Though, I may have to spend more nights there—you are very hospitable if a bit crude."

"You're creeping me out."

The last thing I want. The last thing I need. The last thing that needs to happen, period, is Shizuku spending the night at my house and showing up every day. That means the dynamic trio is going to come over too, Akane may be in her Kampfer form being a total bitch, and Mikoto will bring that damn curry.

Most of all my quiet and sleep in time will be reduced by a gazillion.

"That's not my intention. But, moving on from this…"

"I'm beginning to think otherwise."

"The school day begins at 8:30 AM and ends at 3:20PM. There are eight hours in the schedule, or I should say classes, I know your first school only had seven hours in addition to having three separate lunch periods, but here there is only one lunch period which begins at twelve thirty. Since you're a third year student like myself you're going to need to take at least three electives. Your choices were art, metal shop, and mechanics; not counting gym since it is mandatory."

"Yeah."

She hands me my schedule, and I look it over. I scrutinize every single corner of it before focusing on the writing—homeroom is of course at the beginning of the day. Though, at my first school we had homeroom after first hour, but the year before we had it at the very beginning of the day.

After homeroom I have Chemistry, which shouldn't be too hard since I had been getting a B in that class before I transferred out of that school and went to the second one. Though, knowing the lunacy and craziness of this place I get the feeling there's going to be some twenty tentacle monster whipped up in one of these science classes.

Since I have chemistry, someone is going to mix too much or too little of something and a whole chunk of the school is going to be blown apart.

I sigh.

Next is Geometry, History, and then Art. The first two are basic, and I'm not surprised I am stuck with them, though it's really just the same thing as last year by all means, they give it a different name and woolah—have to spend another year in school. Math has never been my strongpoint, but geometry should be simple enough, and history is simple enough. I can just pay half attention and I'll get a B.

After art is Japanese Literature which will be interesting, beyond interesting for that matter, and I hope I'm not being too light on it. I most likely am, after all Japan is known for its literature, especially poetry. Admittedly I've never invested much time into Japanese literature—they don't teach that sort of thing in the states and I've never been one for poetry.

Well, I can start now, at least.

After Japanese Literature it's lunch, thankfully. I imagine that homeroom just isn't chill out time like at my first school, and there will more than likely be work. By all means it will be counted as a regular class, being graded, and all of that good stuff. However, despite my schedule being so thick there is more than a sliver of leisure.

After lunch I have mechanics—which should be very fun. That had been one of my few saving graces at my first school, both years in my mechanics classes I passed them with flying colors through the entire school year. After that it's onto gym which is self-explanatory, and then after that I finish my day with metal shop which is just perfect.

If I finished with gym it'd be a small problem since I'd be all sweaty afterwards. With the way some of these girls are looking at me, I will not be taking my clothes off to take a shower in the room just inches away from the rows of lockers. Metal shop I'd be all nice and clean, washed up from my previous gym class and ready to go home.

So, I get put through wringer for the first half of the day, but the end of it is pure leisure.

"Do you have any questions? Objections?"

It's like she wants me to object. Maybe she finds some amusement in it all, but really I can't object because one way or another I have to endure this. If I don't come to school regularly; Shizuku will just show up unannounced like she has been. And, most recently she spent the night, along with the dynamic trio.

The last thing I want is for her to come into my room, if I am in there for any reasons. It's bad enough she's in my apartment in the living room, there's no need for her to go venturing around where my room is and the other rooms that I'm not using at the moment—though one will be my weight room.

"No, I'm just ready to get this over with."

"You have the same homeroom as I do, so follow me."

"I get the feeling that isn't a coincidence."

I just hope nobody I know other than Shizuku will be in my homeroom. It'd be a disaster if Natsuru, and the dynamic duo were in it. It'd be a bigger disaster if Hitomi was in it as well, with her stupid cocky smile and attitude, which can really grate on me. Even worse would be if she has friends, and they were in the very same homeroom as well.

This is really turning into a three ring circus, if you ask me. If I do have the same homeroom that Hitomi and her friends do, I really hope I don't, then there is someone or something taking twisted amusement in all of my confusion, despair, and every other emotion that humans have whipped up a name for.

I can only wonder how her friends are personality wise, and I admit some scenarios aren't all that well. Hitomi is a special little cookie, so her friends would be similar in some regards—birds of a feather flock together. It'd be sort of a stretch to say she doesn't have any friends, Hitomi may be a cocky little shit, but she still has friends.

It's only natural. She isn't a loner like me after all.

First day of school, yeah everything is normal!

How funny...


	6. Chapter 6

I am on my way to homeroom.

Homeroom.

I remember homeroom being something like this. Nonexistent. I never showed up to that, and would skip the...Twenty five minutes or so that was actually homeroom. The times I did decide to show up it was always loud, with a lot of kids. There were some of the wanna be hood types, the jocks, the preps, and everything in between, and then there was me-who rarely showed up.

It had been at my first high school; my second high school I went to didn't have homeroom.

Anyways, homeroom had been about a half hour long if I can recall correctly, and honestly nobody bothered going to that in the first place. Me included. It had gotten to a point where it was mandatory to go, and if anyone was found outside the halls once it started tickets were handed out after the first warning.

Quite frankly the whole thing was just was a waste of time as nothing was being done-other then announcements and people just sitting around. Most of the people in there didn't want to be there for starters, and then it came to the point where they were forced. Yeah, everyone was just thrilled with that, but I'm not going to have the same problem here.

This homeroom will be like the homeroom in my middle school. It's where we'll be for most of the day, or where most of the work takes place as it had been way back then. It may be the class I actually have to come back to throughout the day-I'm not sure what the rules are here, but I'm going to cover all of my bases before hand. So, I get graded, have to do work, it sucks sure, but at least I'm not sitting bored like at my first high school wishing to be anywhere but where I was at that moment in time.

However...Now, I am a Kampfer, and for all I know every single person in this class-since they are girls, could very well be an enemy Kampfer that I have to fight. I really think I am meant to be a loner, and I am, but amidst this whole mess...I'm supposed to be on my own, and I guess I just take on all comers or hunt them down one by one-the way Stubby Bear had said it the Black Kampfer are rather...Pragmatic. Deft. Skilled.

They also seem to be...Freaks of nature, if that is a proper term to describe them...Me. It's not like I'm red or blue, and as far as I know Black Kampfer have always been alone in that aspect, and so I'd assume they are loners beforehand or just don't talk all that much. Like me. So, I guess it makes sense in some way that I'd be a Black Kampfer, but I don't think it's supposed to be a common thing for a Black Kampfer to be roaming around.

We are pragmatic and we leave bodies behind. If a Black Kampfer is roaming around shit is going to hit the fan quick, or already has. As Stubby Bear said, Black Kampfer have been around before.

I am pragmatic in the fact that I just try to avoid nonsense as a whole. Perhaps I should be back in my apartment, but as Shizuku is starting to prove; she will come at the drop of a hat with the crazy trio. I am pragmatic due to my avoidance of all the folly that's always surrounded me, that had surrounded me more as of late, but I continue weaving through the chaos and distress. If push comes to shove I am going to fuck someone up, bad. I am going to break someone's finger or neck, I will punch them in the throat. I spent my entire childhood fighting, every single day, and it shaped me to be how I am now.

After all, those who grew up around violence detest it when they grow up, but those who didn't grow up around violence crave it as they are older.

I avoid conflict, but if there's no other way for me...

Someone is leaving in a body bag.

Without making a peep, I press my fingers to my temples, kneading as softly as I can.

Shit, man...Let me tell you, never before have I felt such suspense just going to class. This is supremely ridiculous, and I wish I followed through on my foiled plan of taking the next plane out of this country. However, I imagine something would just by this freak chance...Like my car starting on fire...Something is going to wrong between my travel there and back, and well I'd rather not run the risk of endangering other people because of my own very just, stubbornness.

I entertain the idea of running as fast as I can. I am almost certain I can get away if I can manage to get the break on Shizuku. That will be the tricky part considering she has a good sense of perception, and is perceptive This is clear to me because the way she dealt with Natsuru, where as I was going to shut her up with force, Shiziku simply directed the dolt away.

I won't get far if she does manage to wind me. Shizuku, unlike others-though not so much Mikoto in this way, doesn't become more...Buxom so to speak. As she is already fit and strong, the only change would be her white under-curtain thing of hair. Though, maybe part of her personality changes to, as she's proven to be a little more...Aggressive when she wants to be. She's been a Kampfer longer than I have, and from what Stubby Bear told me she would be a Schwert type, close range, physically powerful; a given with her natural figure.

l am a Zauber. Multi-range, agile, nimble, flexible, and deft. I can use water, something I will have to invest more time into. I haven't tried anything drastic, yet, still, other than focusing it into a sphere within my hand, just holding it like that for as long as I can. I don't want it to be like at my old house where I busted down an entire wall, and honestly, an entire part of the house.

The scary thing is I really wasn't trying...I just focused, and well.

Boom.

However, there is one drawback with being a Zauber. It's the amount of focus it takes in order to conjure up my water, and that's not taking into account propelling actual attacks or adding shape to said attacks. This really doesn't bother me since I can laser focus, and am not an airhead in that aspect. However, I doubt I'm going to be unleashing some twelve kilometer water dragon or something crazy like that.

I ponder all of this because it helps me either concede to my fate and go to homeroom, and continue through this day, or if I escape and isolate myself somewhere in the mountains with those monkeys that spend all of their time in those hot springs. Or, something, other than having to fight-I'd just rather not expend the effort, in that extent, though I have no problem learning, training, and studying more about this stuff.

Perhaps Stubby Bear will have some tips of some sort.

I know if I really exert I can conjure water attacks that Shizuku will have to dodge. She had sliced through my attacks days ago, but it wasn't exactly effortless on her part. There was always a small furrow to her brow, as she strained against the force of my attacks. Of course, she cleaved through them in the end, but every time I had a bare second to stay ahead of her.

I did manage to stay ahead of her, until I met a dead end.

The edge of the roof.

"You wouldn't be thinking of leaving? Andrew?"

My haze is receding, and I'm brought back to the reality around me. The solid floor a reminder that I was now out of my shell so to speak-it was getting to be just a little too common for this woman to break me out of my thoughts. I really don't appreciate it. Also, she's already onto me, or has just that sneaking suspicion that I don't want to be here. Maybe I am just that obvious.

"Would it matter if I said yes?"

Shizuku mulls this over, it seems. I am just silent, waiting for an answer-and if not a little amused that she's actually giving it some real thought. Because, quite frankly it doesn't matter if I say yes or no, she's going to drag me here if she has to.

"Well, I do appreciate honesty."

My snort doesn't sound and my glare doesn't meet her at all. I don't even turn to her in order to acknowledge that she exists. I'm sure this woman appreciates honesty-when it is from the person she is speaking to, while she isn't completely honest herself and literally lies through her teeth. Something would be simple for Shizuku, she could play the part, be convincing enough, and to top it off even if I did figure it out she'd be just that convincing.

I also know she just loves to manipulate things. A classic would be the recent curry incident. That whole thing had been due to the machinations of Shizuku, Mikoto's incessant insistence, and lastly because of myself and my rather good manners. After all, if I didn't eat the curry then it'd be rude, and I'm almost certain Mikoto would have flipped her lid quite literally, and then I'd have to throw her out of my apartment with exacting force because she just wouldn't leave.

In turn I will then have to throw Akane out, because in her Kampfer form-at least-she will be anything but compliant. I can see her shooting up to her feet, a glare in her eyes, that half wet snarl that'd sound from her lips before she decided to point her gun. 'Put the dumb bitch down' I can hear those very words leaving her mouth in the moment I have Mikoto either over my shoulder or hogtied to a steel pole escorting her out of my room.

Oddly enough, I don't think much of Natsuru or what...She'd do. She was more likely to sit there and watch in silence than do anything else, if she really wishes to intervene than she'd go about a talking route. I can see her mouth moving ten million miles a second and it is already giving me a migraine. I know now that she has a mouth on her-not in that sense, but in the sense that she doesn't know when or how to shut up, nor to let something drop, or to even take the glaring hint to do one of things mentioned.

Amidst all of my thoughts I've yet to respond to Shizuku. I can see her gaze on me, feel her eyes trying to bore into me. Though, I am not looking at her even the slightest, I am a perceptive person-I was feeling nervous and awkward before, but now I am feeling a bit uneasy. Maybe it's a little wrong of me to even be thinking this, but I don't want her taking me by the lips in the middle of this hallway.

All of that was so...

So...

"Andrew. You do know it's rude to keep a woman waiting."

My risk is just that-a risk, and by chancing a glance I peer into her piercing eyes. They wish to hold me, make me freeze, make me go completely still, but I fight back against the oppressing sensation. Unfortunately, that means I am looking straight into Shizuku's eyes, and since I am not going to walk into a door like a dumbass, I stop my strides and root myself to the floor.

If my...Friendship...Relationship...

Jeez is this frazzling!

As long as Shizuku and I are on good terms like this I will need to lay down the law. Draw the line. Stomp my foot and cross my arms and then clap my hands. I must do something, and will do something to assert myself as the alpha. Because, quite simply I will not bow down to anyone and I'm not going to back down from anyone due to size or anything else. I like to think that I am humble, as I am a very quiet person. I'm not loud or abrasive, I don't let people walk all over me, but I'm not excessive in any way.

I am also honest, and well if she wants an honest answer from me then she will get it.

So, naturally my first answer is. "We're not going on a date, and I'm not meeting you anywhere. I'm standing right in front of you."

"I see that."

She inches up to me, neck craned up, and for some reason clasps her hand behind her back.

I find myself shaken, but not at all in a bad way Shizuku's piercing eyes soften, and there is a...Strange look to them. They're big all of the sudden, like she's pleased, or she's got something that she's wanted for an eternity. I...I don't know how to describe it, and considering Shizuku-I find it doubtful that she wants to indulge what's going on in that weird...Weird head.

I'm also shaking because Shizuku is every centimeter of a woman...

I really, really, really...Can't take this!

"Shizuku, please." I draw my arm forward, palm open, but at the same time I take a few steps back. Everything cools down-my eyes focus back into their normal clarity, and the fuzzy feeling I felt before subsides, but doesn't go away entirely. My heart continues to beat quickly, and I hope that Shizuku can't hear it beating its frantic beat or feel it.

"Can we talk, seriously?" I lower my arm partly, but still keep it fully extended-I just don't know if she's going to be more inclined to listen to me, or try something rather obscene right here and now.

Shizuku makes a face similar to something of a pout. She pulls me with surprising force, so much so that I stumble twice before regaining my balance. Before I can even ask where we're going she shoves me into an empty room, shuts the door, looks around twice, and then locks the door. While she does all of this I maneuver myself so I don't go crashing over three desks, flip over, and end up slamming my leg through the wall, another desk, or by some freak chance the window just ten feet away.

I can't escape unscathed. My knee crashes into a desk. But, I do manage to not topple over on top of the desk or knock it over.

"Son of a bitch!" I snap, massaging my knee with vehemence, my teeth gritting from the dull pain. I guess it couldn't be the side of my knee that took the impact-it had to be the center of my kneecap itself. "Why'd you do that?"

"Sounded important and urgent." Shizuku has that weird look in her eyes again, a look that I am quickly starting to dread.

However, that dread pales in comparison to my rage at being tossed around like a rag doll by this woman's hand. It was bad enough she wrapped me up like she did before, but _swinging_ me into this room was taking it a step too damn far. Did she lack any and all control? The sheer speed and strength behind her yank and toss was surprising, and the mess of desks turned this way and that way are proof of that.

I count to ten, close my eyes, and heave one long tired sigh. I don't even know why I care other than the fact I banged my knee-Shizuku-banged my knee off one of these stupid desks. "Why did you throw me like that?"

"Ohh, well I can't waste time." Shizuku folds her arms across her chest. "Is this about what happened with the curry?

I do not look at her. It's because first and foremost I am annoyed, and I am not going to give her the satisfaction of seeing me annoyed. Second reason is, well, it is because of that incident. I don't want her getting any ideas here of all places to do some crazy shit like that again. I've no doubt there's some newspaper club before, like at every other high school, and I will not be on the front page of said newspaper like some prancing idiot. 'Shizuku has a secret lover' I can already see the headline for the entire stupid thing.

'Andrew jumps off Mt. Fuji after losing her mind.'

I can't believe I'm about to confirm this, but I must. "Yes, it is."

I shiver unintentionally. Shizuku licks her lips before pursing them, and her eyes narrow. Now, it's not that sadistic lip licking that they do in certain animes when they get cut or a person's blood on their face and they do that quick lick before spitting it out or grinning. It's not the slow and seductive lick of lips that I've seen in movies and certain animes-usually the ones that are harem based, though I have trouble understanding those.

Anyways, back to the focus of this whole thing. Shizuku's lip licking and pursing is sultry and sensual. I don't find myself grossed out by it or even weirded out, if anything I must use all of my willpower to not stare at her lips. It's not excessive or obnoxious on her part, but subtle, and I must really watch in order to see her doing what she does best. Unfortunately, I can't work up the nerve to tell her to stop.

"I was _hoping_ you'd say that. I...Thoroughly enjoyed that, in fact I couldn't sleep a wink that night."

It takes only three seconds for me to distance myself from her once again. My first thought is that it is a good thing that I don't allow her in my room or anywhere near it. The second thought is that it's a good choice on my part to have stayed out in the living room with them. Third, and most pressing at this moment is how am I going to be able to escape or get through to Shizuku-at this moment she looks pretty...Driven. "Listen, Shizuku..."

"Yes, Andrew-sama."

I cringe. "Don't do that. Listen, I don't want you trying anything, doing anything, manipulating anything, or anything like what happened with the curry in my apartment. That means I'm not kissing you in public or anything like that."

"So, you'll kiss me in front of Natsuru, Mikoto, and Akane, but you won't kiss me in front of three hundred other girls?"

"I _had_ to do that. You were going to suffer just like I was at that moment. I know your tongue was burning."

"Not for the same reasons."

I groan, exasperated.

"So, you'll kiss me in private? Just the two of us?"

I understand, completely, wholly, and totally that I dug myself into this hole by opening up my big stupid mouth. Why, oh why did I have to be so ridiculous as to say 'let's talk serious, Shizuku?' It just shows another one of my genius feats of being a Kampfer. Other than the most obvious and I can conjure water from my hands-and the environment around me if I wish to-though I don't know how to do the last one.

Yet.

Maybe Shizuku will train me if I prove myself, in time. She must know a great deal, as her fighting style would prove that much. I'm not a black belt or anything, but I know when someone is very trained or is just brawling-as I've seen people stand in place and hit each other over and over. Maybe, by spending more...Private time with her, not necessarily where her head is at, but doing things with just the two of us...

I don't shake my head, but rather sigh internally.

"I am not as...Against it." I finally say, feeling like a great weight has been lifted from my shoulders, but at the same time another has come to replace that, and has now slammed me onto the ground, so hard that my chin snaps up from the force.

However, I have to lay down the law because I am the alpha, and not Shizuku. "I am not as against it in private, because in private nobody else sees us. I also don't have to worry about someone trying to snap a picture, or someone having a panic attack because they see you and I...Anyways, that's my point. You're not going to make this any more worse than it is for me being here, like I am. I don't want to see an article in the school newspaper 'Shizuku has a secret lover' or 'Shizuku and Andrew could be secret lovers' because the headline will be 'Andrew has jumped off of the tip of Mt. Fuji because he's had enough'."

"Well..." She takes a seat on a desk locking her eyes with mine, before crossing one of her long legs over the other. "Sounds fair."

I blink, titling my head. "Huh?"

"Even though you don't know where Mt. Fuji is...I do believe you'll jump off of it. So, I'll concede."

I'm so happy that she understands. That she didn't make things too awkward, more than I already have with my big mouth. I'm also thankful that she won't be up to her folly here at school and keep it contained within my apartment, or wherever we may be at that point in time. Point being, I won't need to be such a wreck here at school, well more than what I am with watching over my back and trying to sense if any single person is a Kampfer.

My thrill increases before crashing down. Shizuku's lips, warm and soft, meet mine in a tender yet passionate kiss. She wraps her arms around my waist, and pulls me close, and I don't even fight back. I'm too shocked, too much at a loss, and I can feel my body giving in to this sensation. I want to close my eyes and give myself to this kiss. Slowly, I do just that.

Shizuku's body is so firm yet soft, athletic yet shapely. Her arms feel strong against my waist, not quite pressing, but they are secure. It takes all my mental prowess to not let out a small 'eep' or some strange sound as she pulls me even closer, her mouth starting to open. Once I cave in, she envelops me just as I enveloped her on the couch, and it's nothing short of electric on my tongue.

I realize that I'm getting into the kiss. My body betrays my mind, my hormones betray me, and last but not least my mind betrays me by blanking out completely. By not sending shocks of force through me like it should be with our contact. I relax, my breathing becomes more shallow.

Shizuku is really, really soft.

"It's time we go to homeroom, Andrew. I can't play with you all day, at least not here."

Shizuku parts away from me, and I feel cold.

Strange.

I take a shaky breath, almost frowning at the loss of her lips on mine, the warmth that surrounded me, the tight feeling on my waist from her strong arms. I take a small step away, wiping some sweat from my brow, while trying to ignore the implications of Shizuku's statement that just hits me with the same force that all of her statements do.

"What was that just now?" Of course, I can only ask two questions. "What if someone seen what you were doing just now?"

"Reciprocation from last night." Shizuku smiles a sharp smile, and her eyes get that weird super piercing look again. "Sorry if I can't be as aggressive and passionate as you are, but I'm just a demure woman."

"You're crazy! Demure my ass!" I throw my hands in the air.

"It is a joint effort, Andrew, and I know you were enjoying that. Besides, you don't have to worry. There's no lights on, the door is closed, and we're closer to the back wall than anything else. The only way someone would be able to see us is if they came in, and I did lock the door."

She smiles. "It'll be our secret."

I scratch at the back of my head...Sometimes I just can't help myself, and Shizuku just decided to go and do it. She has really soft lips and smells good.

I'm losing my mind.

"You better not tell anyone, I mean it."

Her smile widens. " _It will be our secret then."_

I nod, relieved-but her smile really puts me off, but I am still happy that she won't be telling another living soul about this or us.

"Fine by me-"

My voice heightens.

Shizuku just...

"You smacked my ass." I rub at the spot-it didn't really hurt, but I jolted me for sure.

"Time for us to get the class, and I always get the last word."

She may have smacked my ass, but...

"I get the last word.

* * *

I write my name in Japanese.

Andrew Ambrose.

My penmanship isn't extremely bad, at least.

Correction.

Now I am losing my mind.

I stand in front of homeroom, fucking shit. Do I hate this. I feel so awkward and just...Weird that I want to kick a hole in the floor and go hide in what crater I manage to create. There's about thirty four girls, all girls, staring at me. And, to make matters all the worse Shizuku is at the center of the class looking so amused, that I am surprised she isn't laughing.

You see, the thing is I've never liked public speaking, presenting, talking in front of large crowds, or anything of the like. If anything I am always the one not doing the project just because I don't want to present it, or I take a lower grade, because I don't present it to the class, which is fine with me because then I don't have to present it in front of a whole bunch of people. I know some people actually like to present things, and like to speak publically, but I am not one of those people-like ninety five percent of the population, I dread public speaking.

I dread standing in front of large crowds.

Amidst my despair at this moment, I take in one...Important...Light blue note. And, two more notes, one brown, and the other purple, next to the light blue note.

You have to be kidding me.

No.

NO.

This really isn't happening.

No, it's not.

Hitomi isn't sitting right there.

Those two girls sitting next to Hitomi are not her friends.

Hitomi isn't here.

It takes exactly a second for me to grasp Hitomi is here. Another second to grasp her friends are with her. And, another second to note that Shizuku is giving me that sharp eyed look that is telling me to stay put. I really contemplate what it is that I've done in my relatively short life here on earth that I'm being punished like this. I'm not killing babies or animals, I'm not cruel to people or animals. I'm not going around robbing people, harassing them, and I'm not shooting people just for sport and nothing more.

So, again...Why is this happening to me?

The fuck did I do?

I mean really-sometimes existing is bad enough, with all the bullshit and other crazy shit in the world. But, now on top of the usual lunacy that pollutes earth-that I'm swarmed by, now it gets worse. Now Kampfer are involved, something I know little about, who are part of a proxy war for lack of a better term, which I am not a part of. Okay, technically I am a part of it, but I've chosen not to fight, so that leaves me as alpha.

You're damn right I'm alpha.

The first thing I force myself to do besides high tail it out of here, is observe the girl to Hitomi's right.

She has a shapely body, I think-I can't get good look at her...And, I try not to ogle too much in order to see her shape. She fair skin, amber pools for eyes, and long, long blonde hair that must go to the middle of her back if not a bit lower than that, but since she isn't standing I won't begin to guess. Her eyes almost look like mine which are like a cream gold, sort of, but her eyes also remind me of Shizuku's and the keen intelligence that shine in them, though this girl's eyes shine from book smarts and not experience, like Shizuku.

I know Shizuku eyes shine of experience because they're a bit...Harder. She's suffered, and has done everything with her own two hands, relying on wit and cunning.

While blondie just has her smarts from books...If she were out in the wild she'd try to do everything textbook rather than hear and see. Listen and watch. Feel.

I turn my focus onto the second girl, and boy is she a picture opposite of blondie.

She doesn't seem to be as tall or shapely, more buxom and curvaceous. Ahh, voluptuous is the word I'm looking for-I can't say if she is more so than me, not like I'm bragging but I am taller. Enough about me though-Her skin is fair, a bit darker than blondie's and her hair is purple-ish with bangs coming down evenly over her forehead, with the rest of its length trailing down her back. She looks very neat, but her large indigo eyes have a meekness to them that I don't see in a lot of people. Perhaps she's just shy and quiet like I am; maybe she's been hit on so many times because of her figure.

I mean, she does have curves...Just saying.

Of course I do this all in the span of four seconds while remaining silent, struggling to muster up the courage in order to introduce myself to the class. I just don't like being in front of so many people, or being stared at by many so people. It's worse when I have to speak, as compared to when I walk into a room and like robots-everyone turns to me in unison.

Oh hi there!

The fuck you looking at?

"H-hi, my name is Andrew A-Ambrose." I curse hearing my stutter, but don't grimace.

My Japanese-speaking wise is still questionable, but everyone understands me...

I think.

Everyone just stares at me, eyes wide, silent.

I see some girls smile, ever so slightly.

They tilt their heads.

Here it comes again.

I don't know what it could be...Maybe it's something on my face? Though, I am certain I have a rather stone face at this moment, even if I am rather nervous. I don't see hearts in anyone's eyes so that's a good sign at least. I'd hate to have to run out of this class, and the school in order to escape such madness. I won't hold my breath though, girls here are weird. And, as I've learned girls are ten times weirder at this school than anywhere else, and it's more than just this school being a hotbed for Kampfer.

"You may sit wherever you want, Andrew-kun."

"Thank you, Sensei." I nod at the teacher, looking over the rows. I'm not sure if what I said is correct, but I'm not about to call her sama or dono. She is not my lord or anything like that, and I think dono is pretty much implied with the fact she is a teacher. So, it only makes sense that I call her sensei before anything else. I also am not going to say sama because that is what Shizuku addressed me as.

"Yo! You can sit over here." Hitomi taps a desk-well the chair right in front of her, just two seats away from Shizuku who is not even looking at me.

I just thought I'd point this out.

It's the only desk open for me to sit in, so I really have no other choice, but Hitomi saying things in the manner that she just did makes me a little annoyed. It's like she's telling me to sit there, rather than it being a suggestion like she is wording it. However, I just swallow my annoyance and make my way to the seat, plopping down when I get there and rest my back.

I wait for the teacher to speak, because obviously this isn't like my first homeroom where I an the kids can basically do whatever we want as long as there's not too much noise or anything like that.

"You can talk quietly, work on any assignments, and continue the class project. The class project is due at the end of the month. But, there must be minimal noise."

I blink hearing that, and realize that all the girls in the room go into their own little groups, and me, well I stay right where I am because I have nowhere else to go, and I'm not part of anyone's group. So, I turn my focus around me, and note that I have the second dynamic trio on one side of me, and Shizuku just one seat away from me, though she's not talking to me. She's not even looking at me.

I wonder...Did I do something wrong?

No, I couldn't have. Shizuku is a straight A-4.0 and nothing less, total nerd of a student. She hasn't missed a single day nor has she been late to any class, at all, for the whole sum of this year. So, it is only logical that she spends her time focused on her academics and getting her work done in school rather than focusing on me and trying to irritate me. But, I feel a little off not talking to Shizuku like I usually do. I don't talk or associate myself with people all that much, but I'd like to consider Shizuku a friend.

It's strange because while Shizuku is ignoring me all of these girls are either staring at me, or looking every few seconds.

"You fall again, klutz?"

There's Hitomi, too.

"Why?"

"I don't know, you fell that one time with me. You fell outside of school because of Senou-san."

I look at her, feeling my eyes narrow. "Natsuru?"

"Yes, Natsuru." She looks exasperated.

"What?"

"How hard is to say Natsuru's last name?"

I shake my head. "I just say Natsuru, no honorifics, why say his last name?"

"You still didn't answer my question and never mind." Hitomi laughs, shaking her light blue hair all over the place and which way. "You're stubborn.

I muster enough energy to scowl at Hitomi. I see that her desk is empty, and she looks rather bored having to be in here, but tolerates it because two of her friends are in here, and now that I am in here...Well, it's loads of endless entertainment. "Don't you have any homework to do? And, no I haven't. Not because of you. And, not because of that dolt. No."

She snorts at this while shaking her head. "You're never going to let that go."

"Never."

She laughs, amused. "You sure are stubborn."

"Repeating yourself there.I'm proud of my stubbornness, thank you."

"Anyways," she continues on, uncaring of the way I continue to scowl at her.

"Don't you have homework?"

"No. I finish all of it at my father's restaurant after school, usually." She waves her hand dismissively, but the cocky smile remains on her face.

"Leaves me free time."

I suppress my groan-this means Hitomi's sole focus is grinding my gears at this moment.

It goes from Shizuku.

To Hitomi.

Lovely.

"These two are my friends."

I suppress my annoyance with Hitomi, turning to the two girls that are her friends. Man, they must be some pieces of work being Hitomi's friend, I know I'm not an easy case, but at least I'm a simple person. Given how these girls look they are rather complicated. It's just a feeling that I'm getting, but as long as they don't step on my toes I am all good. The second someone really, really, really makes me angry all bets are off, and someone's head is going to get busted. That's as simple as it gets.

"I'm Sayaka. Nice to meet you." The blonde says.

"It's nice to meet you, too."

"I'm sorry."

I look at the other girl, and I tilt my head. Is there any reason why she is saying sorry to me? I hope she isn't strange!

"Why?"

"I was going to introduce myself, but then I froze. My name is Ryōka."

"It's nice to meet you."

I blink a few times, looking at Ryōka with mild surprise.

"I'm sorry."

I almost regret asking this. "Why?"

"I said it's nice to meet you in unison with you."

"It's no big deal."

"I'm still sorry."

I look at Sayaka, noting she looks a little conflicted about something. Now, I know I'm not social butterfly, but I can have a conversation with people. This girl, right here, is a mess. A certified mess.

"What?"

She looks at me a bit more, then turns away from me.

"Okay, what the hell is going on?" I voice my thought.

"Stubborn ass." Hitomi sighs, giving a shake of her head.

"I'm just trying to understand this is all..." I look at Ryōka with as much keenness as I can, trying to understand what makes this girl tick and why she says I'm sorry, and then just completely ignores me while not even bothering to answer my question. And, why does she always say I'm sorry for no reason, it doesn't make any sense to me.

"Why does she say sorry like that? Why is she ignoring me?"

Hitomi and Sayaka trade looks, all the while the other girl doesn't look at any of us-but her homework.

"Don't mind her. So I heard you signed up for the Track and Field club, and that you also skateboard." Sayaka speaks up, she has this smile on her face that's more confident than cocky, she follows this up by crossing her right leg over her left. My answer may not have come like I wanted it to, but I won't pass up the chance to confirm that I do skateboard, though I do a lot of other stuff, too.

"Yeah." I give a nod, surprised my tone sounds so chipper.

Maybe this is a part of it...

"That's pretty cool, I'm not much for sports. That's Hitomi-san's area. I've watched the X Games a few times, though, and the one last year. Hitomi tells me you're really good, you landed this crazy looking trick before falling. I prefer reading though, drawing too. I work in the library, too. It can be difficult sometimes remembering some things, and there's always misplaced or last books, but I get to read in silence so..."

She shrugs gently. "I have no complaints."

I keep my focus on her, but mentally I'm somewhere else for a moment. I see everything before me, and it is there, but it's just there and bears no meaning. I'm getting an extremely strange feeling-like a pulse or nudge, that lingers, and I don't know what it is. Maybe it's because Sayaka is...She seems very normal, and amidst all of this lunacy it's nice to meet someone that isn't on an overdose of crazy.

Sayaka is...Nice. A simple teenage girl.

Then I look at Hitomi-how dare this little cocky girl just put me on blast like this. It was Hitomi's fault for getting in my way in the first place, what person just turns a corner without looking around-hello I'm going at least twenty miles on a skateboard!

Can you not hear my polyurethane wheels smacking into the lines of the cement?

"You must be really satisfied." I grumble, not bothering to hide my glare at the moment.

"Seeing you scowl like that makes it all worth it." Hitomi waves her hand. "Besides, you were the one just flying down the street like a bat out of hell on four wheels."

Normally, I'd cross my arms, but I'm not going to do that this time around. "You really grind my gears, Hitomi."

"I know."

* * *

Everything passes by in a blur until it's finally time for lunch. Interestingly enough, Sayaka is in my Japanese Literature class, and she wasted little time in having me sit by her and beginning to talk about random things. Clothes. Shoes. The books she was reading. Her librarian duties and how much she loves those duties. The most recent game show on TV-something that Akane had put on when I gave up control of my TV.

I will say that Sayaka is normal, if a bit on the talkative side, but it doesn't really bother me. However, it doesn't stop me from feeling...Weird whenever I'm around her, I can't put my finger on it, nor am I able to explain the feeling that I get...But, it's subtle and persists, and really it begins to annoy me, because I just don't know what this feeling is or why I'm getting it.

So, this school is pretty big, and I'm being a little too light about it. We have a campus, which no high school has. In warmer states like California they have their lockers and hallways outside, same in Florida, but they don't have campuses. Campuses would be strictly for college, because colleges are so damn big-miles big even and have a million different things along that stretch. It can all be a bit much to take in seeing for the first time, and while I've seen this many times at this moment in time the settling of being lost is hitting me.

I got turned around in three halls, had to back track down this one hall until I got to an elevator, and finally after getting off the elevator I was on the bottom floor of the one building I had been in, and slowly make my way out. There's so many girls all over the place, it looks so severely crowded and jammed that I am debating if I should sprint to Mcdonald's or a Ramen place and come back here before lunch is over. I don't think this school has an open lunch, unfortunately. I should just be thankful that no boys are on this side.

I'd hate to see what kind of mess that would be at this point in time. I have little doubt that some couple would be getting it on right here against their locker, just sitting there locking lips and licking tongues. I seen it happen at my first school-people would just be standing in the hallway making out like it's no big deal, and a lot of them did it with so much fervency that it didn't take focus to pick up on the smacking sound. Never mind that fact they were having sex in the bathrooms-at least in there I didn't have to see or hear them.

But, there's only girls here. The second I step out of these doors though, they're all going to turn and look at me. And, unlike the girls in my homeroom, some of these girls would be screaming and have hearts all in their eyes. I would really like to know how they do heave hearts in their eyes, because it is the strangest thing I've had to witness besides Akane and Mikoto arguing about who was going to be going in my bathroom to wash up first. I had to shove Mikoto into the bathroom by her head, literally, and yank Akane back to the living room.

Honestly, my life has gotten way too eventful.

"Well, this is interesting."

"Shizuku."

I stare at her, feeling my lips starting to pull into a smile, but I stop myself from smiling. It's not that I'm mad at her or anything like that, I just never really smiled much as a man, and well those traits have carried over, naturally. However, I am happy to see her, because now I'll be able to get through this herd of girls to the lunchroom-wherever that is. Shizuku is like a royal queen her, everyone parts a path for her, and if I'm not mistaken there's some club on the boy's side, of course, that has to do with dominating.

Or was it her feet?

"Why are you just standing here?"

I point to the outside.

"Ah, how cute."

I turn to see why Shizuku made that comment, and I am just baffled to see all of the girls, and I mean alllll of them start to scream and run towards one building-presumably where the lunchroom is screaming something about Natsuru-sama. If I didn't know any better I would think they were going to hogtie or something and haul her off for their own amusement-that's just how fanatical and obsessed they sounded.

Of course, I defend myself. I cross my arms over my chest and fix the slightly shorter woman with my best glare while nodding towards the outside. "They were just milling about and clogging every other way before you came!"

"Oh?"

"Yes, they were."

"I find your modesty to be rather enticing, Andrew. I've rarely come across someone, man or woman, that is so modest and reserved as you." Shizuku sizes me up, again, eyes flicking down and then back up.

I don't look at her. I turn away, looking at a row of lockers just several feet ahead of me. And, after a second of thought I push the doors open-taking a deep breath. Perfect, there's no crowds or groups, no girls, no people around.

It is vacant, basically-on the campus at least. Natsuru has seemed to do me a good one, which is ironic considering how close she came to pissing me off just this morning. But, if I am not mistaken Natsuru is very popular here, but the Natsuru on the boy side-damn is that kid stupid, is rather bland and nobody cares about him.

Anyways, that dolt aside; I'm just happy that I can walk without having to weave and sway.

"Shizuku?"

"Yes?"

I chance a glance, relieved that she doesn't have that sharp and sly smile on her face, but a curious look instead. I wonder if she is truly curious about what I'm about to say, or if she's just curious about how this whole thing is about to play out. "Why were you so quiet in homeroom?"

She smiles, slightly. "Simple. I have the highest average in this school. I don't have time to be wasting talking to you, or anyone else during my class time. It's nothing personal."

"I guess that makes sense." I nod slowly.

For a second there I thought she had been upset with me-as inane as it is.

I really don't want to see Shizuku lose her shit and flip her lid-she'd probably go Kampfer and start sending heads rolling. Or, she'd just strangle the person or people that are the cause of her losing her shit, giving them a slow and agonizing death. Those chain links, every single one-hurts when she tightens them whenever she does, and I had them around me like a cocoon. Even my fingers, and the digits of my fingers had been locked in place.

"Are you worrying, Andrew? I didn't take you for a worrier."

"No, it's just you usually grind my gears and frazzle me."

Her smile widens, becoming a little sharper than before. "Is that your way of saying you're fond of me?"

For some reason I can feel my heart pick up its pace. Why, I have no idea, but I assess this carefully.

"Sure?"

I mean, her quirks aside Shizuku is pretty cool, if a bit...Forceful at times. She can also be a little wily, but from what I've observed it is not for nefarious reasons, though if I could the Chile peppers it'd be in a league more of devious. Had she been a little troublemaking child growing up?

I can see Shizuku tripping a boy she liked or playing pranks on her parents.

Little troublemaker, and now she's moved onto frazzling me.

"I'm fond of you too, Andrew."

I smile awkwardly.

"What about Natsuru-san and the others?"

I consider the question, humming softly. "Natsuru annoys me. Akane is okay, even in her Kampfer form-though she has a knack for getting under my skin when she is in her Kampfer form. Mikoto wants me to teach her skateboarding, so she's my protégé. I guess."

Shizuku simpers, gently bringing her fingers through her curtain of hair.

Why do I feel like something happened-that something is happening that shouldn't be happening?

"What about Sakura?"

"The same as before."

Shizuku gives me a look before opening the doors for me, but I hold them open for her.

"Do you guys have open lunch?" I try to break the awkwardness-though for the most part it is just me feeling this way. Shizuku has a small pep in her step, and if I didn't know any better she is just overflowing with joy.

"No, but I think you'll find the food here to be more palatable than McDonald's."

"I like their fries, and the teriyaki burger is pretty good."

We stay silent the rest of the way, and I think Shizuku really doesn't approve of my fondness of fast food, even though I do not eat it every single day of the week, and for that matter for all of my meals in a day. The cafeteria is well...It is just something else completely-the first thing is the size. It can easily fit all of us girls inside, and there's still more than enough room to actually move around and such-there's desk-like tables situated everywhere, but there's also the long tables like they had at my grade school, and there's even round tables as well-like the ones they had at both of my high schools.

The second thing is the aromas wafting all around me-causing my stomach to cave in, a pain I don't welcome. Hunger is something I don't like, the feeling of needing nourishment is something I've never liked, and hunger pains are the worse.

I can smell bacon, burgers, chicken, pork, steaming vegetables-I think there's some squash mixed in all of this. But, I can't even begin to name all of the dishes that are here for my enjoyment, which brings me to my next point. The food selection that they have here is ridiculous-I see sushi, fruits, vegetables, nachos, onigiri, burgers, nachos, spaghetti, fries, tacos, I think I see tofu even. If there's tofu than nothing else is out of bounds. There's soda, juice, chips, tea, water, energy drinks, hell there's even a thing that serves Ramen, though it's not like the fancy places in the city.

Shizuku and I enter slowly, both of our own volition. She looks through the room just as I do, but my eyes go to the food after a few moments, while her eyes remained trained on our surroundings.

I give a quick look around-okay no girls are eyeballing me like before, so I am good.

They seem more focused on Natsuru, wherever the idiot may be.

I go make myself a plate picking some of everything. I don't need to look behind me to feel Shizuku trailing behind me, not picking every single thing that sees like I am. She's accustomed to this selection, so for her it's just another day. But, there's a lot of things here that aren't Japanese strictly speaking-like cheeseburgers and fries, but there's also Japanese dishes like Oden.

Never before have I seen such variety in food, at one single place. Of course there's always buffets, but they tend to have the same thing-this is like those blocks that have restaurants, but instead of being individual restaurants they'd combine with each other-fusing their foods in the process.

Shizuku leads me to the table where everyone else must be sitting, and not so much to my surprise I see Sakura front and center with the dynamic trio. They all seem to be enjoying themselves, and I can't really blame them.

"Shizuku-chan! Andrew-san!" Sakura greets us in the same bubbly tone as always.

"Hey." I give a lazy wave, not wishing to be rude.

"Rough first day, huh?" Sakura looks at me. There's an understanding in her eyes, or is that sympathy?

"Yeah." I nod, while indulging in my fries first.

"It's hard adjusting to the workload here, it even gets to me sometimes." Sakura admits.

"Mmm." I nod, just enjoying the food that I have. They start talking among themselves about their day so far, Sakura constantly inching closer to Natsuru only for Akane to do the exact same thing-which is a little strange, Mikoto going on about her curry and a hard project she had due in just three days in her history class. Apparently it is an oral report, as well as a research paper-though the paper counts for about eighty five percent of her grade, from what I'm able to gather.

Akane and Sakura eventually stop their bid for power over Natsuru and talk normally, with Natsuru chiming in whenever she felt it is necessary or when she is feeling awkward-which is a lot. Akane is swamped with her library duties and has to work twice as hard, as there were a lot of books being taken out, and a lot of books being returned, as well as the few that seemed to just get lost-she definitely has her hands full with all of that.

Shizuku and I don't really contribute much to these conversations other than a few words at a time, but nonetheless she enjoys all of the interaction between us, and I just observe everything while remaining relatively silent.

"I'm sure Sayaka will help you." I speak up-Akane brings up her workload again.

"She's really indecisive at times, though." Akane frowns this cute frown.

"So, how do you like the food?" Sakura asks, I think cutting Akane off completely.

Judging by the look on Akane's face, this has been a common thing, and still is.

I look at Shizuku for a second. "It's great, actually."

Shizuku appears smug.

"But, I like McDonald's fries a lot better.

* * *

I feel like my statement about the fries didn't really fit into Shizuku's or Sakura's criteria of what food is, but I don't care. It's not like I'm that guy on Super Size Me-eating it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and supper. I'm not super sizing everything he did in that movie either, and if I'm not mistaken-I am pretty sure I am not mistaken, one can't super size anything anymore. No fast food restaurant chains do the super size.

I'm not wearing those stupid slip on black shoes anymore, either. The stupid things make me look silly, and more importantly my skate shoes are a lot more comfortable and familiar to me. I'm also heading out the door.

I've always felt so damn good whenever school is over with. I am always one of the first people, if not the first to be out of the building within the span of a minute flat. Even if there were flights of stair and all that other junk it really did little to stop me. This school is no different, and if anything I pick up my pace as the hordes of girls start to herd together.

I finally have enough, and finding a place where no girl is-I jump out the window, and quickly run to the entrance. Skateboard under my arm, my stupid black shoes in a bag, which is gripped tightly in my hands. One thing I don't understand is how can people, and these girls here more specifically can be so lackadaisical as the end of the day bell rings and school is done with. They talk, they laugh, and worst of all they get in my way.

"Andrew!"

I spot Mikoto, she has one arm above her head waving, and her feet leave the ground like a blur as she jumps up and down. I suppress my laugh and manage to smile just a little bit; Mikoto is a vibrant girl, animate, funny, and last but not least energetic. In fact I will say she's one bundle of energy. Shizuku, Natsuru, and Akane are with her, though they aren't as vibrant as she is.

"Hey!" I smile, tilting my head as I'm just centimeters away from her now.

I set my board on the ground and jump on, shifting my weight, moving my hips.

POP!

I do a simple Ollie-an extremely high Ollie, but still an Ollie.

Okay, that's better.

I note the silence I'm enduring at the moment, and take note that everyone is rather amazed with my trick.

I look at Shizuku first, then Akane, and lastly Natsuru. They all look-well I don't know, but they don't have the excitement as Mikoto.

"That was high." Natsuru remarks, almost like she's in a daze.

Akane nods in agreement.

"Let me try!"

I don't know how it happens but Mikoto is really trying to push me off of my board. I get off of it, of course, and grab her by the shoulders to shove her back and away. If I acted just a second-a frigging second later Mikoto would have taken me down so hard and fast that the back of my head. Cement. Well, it wouldn't be pretty and I would be enraged, because pain does that to me.

"Back off!"

"I just want to try once!"

It is a clash of wills.

"Just once!"

I grit my teeth, pushing and pushing. "No! Back off!"

"Stop this senseless fighting!"

I feel myself come to a complete stop, and Mikoto does as well-which is partly the reason why I stop. We are locked in mortal combat, and I will not be tasting the bitterness of defeat.

The other reason I stop is because I have the sudden impulse to throw Mikoto right into Sakura-who is running up to us with this...Priggish look pruning her face into this frown, that let me tell you, just rubs me the wrong way. There is an old saying-mind your own damn business. If I want to wrestle with Mikoto over my skateboard-my skateboard, then I will do just that.

Sakura takes it a step further, however, and actually touches me-pulling Mikoto and I apart.

"You're young women, right? Stop acting like brutes."

"Mind your own damn business." I snap.

I hate rhetorical questions.

I can feel Natsuru's glare honing in on me, and I cut my eyes at her. "You got something to say, too?"

"You don't need to be so temperamental-"

"Shut up, Natsuru!"

Why'd this little dolt always defend Sakura-why is Natsuru so absorbed with this...

"That's enough. Mikoto, this morning Andrew already agreed to teach you, granted you buy your own board. Andrew, I've already told you once..."

Mikoto scratches her head, looking sincerely sorry for what she's done. "Sorry."

I can hear the unspoken word in Shizuku's statement.

I've already told you about your temper, Andrew.

Sakura makes a sound similar to a huff, crosses her arms in a priggish manner, and smiles. I find the action to be a little irritating, I feel like I'm about to bristle, and I do my best not to say something to her, because I really want to get the last word, but am choosing to be the bigger person at this moment. I have this feeling something is going to come out of this girl's mouth that goes against everything that is about to happen after this, if that makes any sense.

"It's fine, nobody got hurt. So, are we all going to my house to hang out? Natsuru-san, will you come?"

"S-sure."

I give Natsuru a dry look, my eyes narrowed in perpetual annoyance. Normally, I wouldn't be so annoyed, but since this moron said yes, Akane is going to go with, and in turn that means Shizuku is going to go with. Which leaves Mikoto and I, who have plans, to ditch them-I'm not going to try and sugarcoat the fact I do not want to be in Sakura's house at all, and I have much better things to do than entertaining her. I know people are courteous here, and I am myself, but I have my limits.

I feel like I'm at a stand off with Sakura, because despite her speaking to Natsuru her eyes dart to me, and I swear...For just s fricking second they get extremely sharp, and she looks mad.

I'm not fazed by it, but I only resolve myself more to not partake in this.

"Come on, Andrew." Mikoto looks at everyone, but me in particular.

"Sorry, Sakura-san. But, Andrew promised he'd teach me if I buy my own skateboard. You will have to try my famous curry another time!"

I almost freeze in place. Mikoto. It is her voice. And, she's said those words. Words I didn't think I'd hear, because like the three women standing in front of me, she'd follow Natsuru around in a sort of weird way that really didn't and still doesn't make any sense to me. However, it's just the overwhelming fact that Mikoto is saying this to me, and as these words leave her mouth, she's already striding several feet ahead of me-everyone for that matter.

I also freeze because she mentions that horrible curry-which I'm sure would be the bomb diggy for someone who is used to the spiciness. But, for me, it's just too much.

"We could all go with Andrew-san and Mikoto-san. I think it'll be interesting to see this." Shizuku comments.

However, Sakura shakes her head. I feel relief gush through me-I really didn't want this girl coming along, running her stupid mouth, and killing the whole vibe of excitement.

"I'm not really all that interested in skateboarding, and since it's a weekday it'll be night time by the time we're done doing that. I thought we'd all study."

"Yeah, I'm not doing that." I remark blandly.

"Come on, Andrew!"

I turn to Mikoto, barely able to hide my exasperation. The only reason I can is because I have to a gaze with Shizuku, and I can't let myself falter the slightest, and I have do the same with Sakura. I slowly turn back to the two mentioned girls, holding each of their gazes for just a few seconds before I turn away-suddenly flustered because I am wearing a skirt.

Don't ask.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow then." I say it bluntly while running a hand down my stomach, feeling the soft fabric of my shirt and the way it was skin tight.

"Mikoto is going to blow my ear off if I don't get a move on."

Which is by all means, very true.

"Okay, it's a promise then." Sakura says, tone still bubbly-I barely grimace.

I can't help but feel like battle lines are being drawn at this moment...Sakura and I are at a standstill, not willing to budge, and everyone else-including Shizuku is on the fence.

Sakura and I are enemies...

Or, so it seems...

Why am I even thinking this right now?

"Andrew!"

I whirl on Mikoto. "Quiet!"

She huffs loudly-as I can hear her from where I stand, and she marches up to me right after that.

Seeing Mikoto trudging forward, Natsuru is quick to jump in-at last.

"We'll be seeing you guys then." She says, smiling uneasily. "Maybe we can all study this weekend, or something?"

"Maybe," I shrug a little bit, not quite comfortable with in-I will always listen to my instincts. "I'll probably be teaching Mikoto, so yeah."

If Sakura and I are enemies where does that leave Shizuku, Natsuru, Akane, and Mikoto...I don't think Mikoto cares too much, but the other three...I can't say the exact same.

I sigh, massaging my head.

"You shouldn't think so much, Andrew."

I ruffle her hair, putting some force into it so I shove her head down.

Of course, Mikoto swats at me, but she isn't the least bit angry.

Her and Stubby Bear are no different, now that I think about it. Now that I've seen them both in action.

"You don't think enough, Mikoto."

"So?"

"You're an idiot." I shake my head.

"You are."

I bite my tongue, giving her a hard look.

Be the bigger person.

Don't say anything.

Turn the other cheek.

"You are."

To hell with turning the other cheek and being the bigger person.

I get the last word, damn it.

I also realize that I must discuss a few things with Stubby Bear, pertaining to this...Lunacy.


	7. Chapter 7

Mikoto is super hyper. In all of the minutes it took to get to my apartment, me change into something comfortable, and make our way to one of the few skate shops in this city...She hasn't lost a single step-there is no sign of fatigue that I can see. Her smile is as animate as always, her eyes are beaming with vitality and mischief, and her body is nothing short of a supercharger.

Really, I am amazed that Mikoto can keep at it like this, not caring that she's wearing a skirt-I think this is because she's always been a girl and has no issue, but my point is Mikoto is quite remarkable.

However, as remarkable as her endurance is-her little display is causing people to look at us. I merely shrug at the quizzical looks I'm getting, some are looks like I should get Mikoto under control as if she's my child. Normally it wouldn't bother me so much with people giving me odd looks, but Mikoto makes another complete rotation around me-jumping up and down with both of her feet. This is more than enough to warrant a couple of raised eyebrows.

"Mikoto, stop."

The shorter girl halts in her next jump, looking at me with curiosity before it quickly turns into a pout.

Honestly, I have my work cut out for me. I can't begin to imagine what sort of hell it would have been if the whole gang came with us. Heaven forbid Akane undergoes her transformation and becomes a loud mouth, snotty little girl-she'd more than likely get us kicked out of the skate shop before I can even get a word in. What did I do to deserve dealing with this little energetic bundle known as Mikoto?

"I'm so excited!"

Her scream draws even more attention to us. I can feel my entire back tense. There's about thirty eyes on us at the moment-it's pretty busy to say the least, and I can't really see any area that isn't full of people. I tug her along with me, yanking her with some force, and don't even bother to give her a warning before I do so. I ignore her indignant cry, and cut off her angry retort as I pull her across the street.

"Be excited. But stop jumping around, and stop being so noisy."

Mikoto huffs. "You don't have to be so abrasive, you know."

"Quiet. I am not abrasive."

The last thing I want to deal with are the Japanese police. I've heard and read a lot of stories about them. They'll make you stay totally silent in the kneeling position-I forgot its technical name, but I'm not going to endure that. You can't speak for eight odd hours, maybe more, maybe less, and you can't break from that position at all in the length of time. That is something I will never endure.

For the simple fact I can't stay still that long-I have long legs and they'd definitely fall asleep.

The skate shop we're going to-well more like where I'm pulling Mikoto towards at the moment is one of the few in Tokyo. It's not too far off from Tokyo itself, a little less than a hop away. Not even the skip and the jump. From my little research it reminds me of Sky High skate shop back at home-there's not a lot of variety like Phase2 or other mainstream places like that. There's decks, shoes, shirts, socks, pants, and everything else, but there's just not a lot of them. I prefer skate shops like this since they have the essentials.

Skate shops that have so much variety-so much products, tend to be a maze, and I was never able to find anything that I wanted. There's just so much to choose from, even when I knew exactly what I was looking for I found myself to be sidetracked by a multitude of things. It was mostly decks and shoes, and at times the bearings which really do make all of the difference.

Mikoto will indefinitely be distracted with the limited variety they have at this skate shop. While it may be a trying task it won't be as trying as trying to keep Mikoto under control in a skate shop like Phase2. There were at least a hundred decks on the walls in front of the desk, fifty on the wall behind the desk, and hundreds more on the floor behind the desk-that isn't including the shoes and everything else that can be bought.

Mikoto being in that sort of environment is like a monsoon and tsunami fusing together into one super disaster. I'll have to take the lead with this, because if I don't I will be sitting for hours while Mikoto makes up her mind on what to buy. I can't really blame her for taking so long, as she is new to all of this, and seeing so much variety will make a lot of wheels turn.

But, we are on a time schedule-there is school tomorrow for starters. I can't afford to sit at this skate shop for three hours before heading back to my apartment, and when I finally get in bed it's just short of midnight. That'd leave me with about six to seven hours of sleep-which will be enough, but I'd still prefer to get a full eight hours if possible.

The skate shop we're heading to goes by the name of Highsox or something along that line. It's not the worst name I've heard, but when it comes to a skate shop I don't think the name matters much. Anyone who really skates will pay a visit to buy something from the shop. Shoes. Socks. A jacket. A few decks in case one snapped or something.

It's located in a little street that I'd like to consider an alley, because that what it reminds me off. There's several stores on both sides of Mikoto and I as we round the corner into the little cut off. I spot the tell tale sign of the skate shop, an inclined walking ramp into the store. I'm pretty sure it's the only store in this place that has such a steep incline, and also a table with a plant in a pot a few inches from the entrance.

I find myself taking calming breaths as I stand at the entrance. Mikoto is at my side, giving me a look like I'm crazy-by all accounts I'm sure I look pretty crazy at this moment. I don't know how Mikoto is in public, but given her tomfoolery that has taken place-I'm inclined to think that she needs one of those backpack leashes that parents get for their four year olds.

The only problem with this would be Mikoto pulling me around, well trying to pull me, and it'd lead to us causing a scene. A scene I'd rather not play out, or let play out as I have an out of body experience when the scenario does happen. Perhaps it'd be a better idea to get her to focus on what she wants-the deck size, the grip tape, her skate shoes, and anything else that she may buy. Letting her get distracted is nothing short of a recipe for a disaster at this point in time. She'd likely ask a gazillion questions.

"Welcome." The young man behind the desk greets us both, giving a quick bow.

"I'll try not to take too much of your time." I say quickly, giving my own bow.

"If you both need anything just let me know."

"Will do."

Stepping around the store, my eyes first go to the rather large sock-chair that is situated in front of a table with a lot of trinkets on it. To my right are shelves-well actually a shelf, with basically cubicles built into it. The three cubes closest to the ground have shirts neatly folded, the next three levels of cubes have hats one is even colored orange while another is a vibrant green, and the two levels off to the side have a few shirts, but not as much as the bottom cubes.

To my left are skateboards. I can't tell which brand they are, some of the logos are completely foreign to me, but there's about thirty four of them not including two that are in this long wooden box. There are shirts folded beneath them. The next shelf has Vans lining it, a few things that look like lunch boxes, a few bags, a t shirts hanging right beneath those bags.

The front desk has cubicles as well, all lined with accessories and other trinkets. Wheels. Trucks. Shoes, Bearings. Even a DVD of some sort, if my eyes are not deceiving me at the moment. Behind the front desk is a very nice flat screen TV-the picture is so clear, and the thing is just purely bad ass. It's not as good as my big ass TV, but the resolution and quality of the picture is definitely 1080.

Overall I can't say I'm disappointed and this place is what I had been expecting it to be. A little rustic, but it is functional. There isn't too much variety that things become a bit too much, but there's enough product around that one can spend a good amount of time just browsing. This place definitely reminds me of Sky High and even the skate park back in my hometown that sold their own boards-the board selection was limited, but everything worked. The boards had crazy pop.

I search for Mikoto, not at all surprised to see gazing at everything with this empty-not in a bad way empty, but overwhelmed to the point of she isn't quite comprehending what she is seeing sort of look. Her smile is evident, as is the amazement in her eyes, but clearly this all overwhelming for her. I find a laugh escaping my lips as she picks up a shoe and examines it, comparing it to her own that she's wearing at the moment.

Seeing myself observing everything and Mikoto doing only what she can do, the young man that was behind the desk comes out from behind it. He looks at me and then he looks at Mikoto. He seems to be debate something mentally for a few seconds before making his way to me. I guess I look like I know what I want, and know what skateboarding is, while Mikoto is like a kid in a candy store. I have experience in this and she doesn't.

"Mikoto."

"Coming!"

It takes her but two seconds to arrive at my side.

"I'm here for a skateboard!" Mikoto tells the young man, giving a thumbs up.

I sigh, resisting the urge to shake my head. "She's just starting out."

"We don't have any completes, so you'll have to buy everything separate."

"That's fine."

I note Mikoto is about to open her mouth, say something asinine most likely, and throw off this entire conversation. I tap her on the shoulder and raise a finger to her lips. "I have tools at my apartment for this sort of thing. He'll put it together here, though."

"Oh, okay."

I turn my focus back onto the young man. Considering Mikoto is just starting out she doesn't need anything fancy or expensive. There's no need to get her an Uberlight deck or anything along those lines, as those were for only the more advanced skaters. She didn't need bearings that kept her high speeds consistent-she wasn't skating and doing tricks at the same time, yet. She just needs the basics and nothing more. A board over eight in width and anything fancy, Mikoto would likely be visiting the hospital for a few days.

"What is your shoe size?" I ask, turning to Mikoto.

"26."

I remember looking at conversion things on the internet for shoe sizes, and how they differed from the states, to the UK, to japan. It is something I did in my spare time whenever I got bored, but I never thought it'd actually come in handy. In Japan they go by centimeters if I'm not mistaken-the whole world follows the metric system except for the states, which goes by feet, pounds, and inches. If I can remember right-that'd make Mikoto about a size seven.

Considering her feet are rather small, she won't be needing an eight. She'll have to go with the seven point seven five or the seven five. She didn't have the foot size, nor the height to push an eight. If Mikoto wasn't new to this, I'd have no doubt in my mind she could skate an eight without any issue, and she'd more than likely skate vert with it. However, since she is new to all of this, she can't skate an eight.

"Could you get her a seven and a half or a seven and three quarters deck. Flip or Santa Cruz. Independent Trucks. Reds bearings. Jessup grip tape. Hardware doesn't matter and don't put on riser pads." I ring one thing after the next, using my fingers to count as I fix the clerk with a steady gaze.

"Sure, but do you want a board with less or more concave?"

I mull it over for a second before deciding. "In between, not too much of either."

Mikoto brings me back to reality with a tap of her fingers to my shoulder. "What's concave?"

"That's the part of the board where I put my feet."

"The nose and tail?"

I nod.

"What's it do?"

"It effects how high you can get the board, also effects how fast it flips and spins. You don't want too much now because you don't want it to fly out from under you and hit you across the eye. You also don't want too less because you'll slam your back foot down extra hard, and instead of doing an Ollie you'll skid forward because you didn't slide your front up in unison."

Mikoto tilts her head, one finger over her lips while she hums. "And, what's the seven a half and seven and three quarters mean? Can I get an eight?"

I set my hand on her back, taking her over to the shoes. It'd do Mikoto no good to tear up her slip on shoes. They couldn't withstand grip tape, and it is more than likely Shizuku would approach me about it anyways. That woman enjoys to push my buttons, not quite like Hitomi who is fond of grinding my gears, but the point still stands.

"That's board width. From side to side. An eight is eight inches, of course. Seven and a half would be that. Seven and three quarters-or seven point seven five is the width. Since your feet are so small you don't need to skate an eight, it'd just hinder your progress as I teach you. Once you're used to the movements and can do tricks easily enough, you can move up to an eight."

"I see..." Mikoto murmurs. "What shoes should I get then?"

I point to a pair of Vans. They're low tops with a checker pattern. "These will do since you're learning."

The tips of the shoes aren't too fat or bulbous, but they're not too narrow either. These aren't like DVS that are just a fat ass shoe in general, even the slimmer pairs have fat tips. The tips aren't also narrow like Dekline shoes or brands along those lines-it'd definitely help with the flicking motion the front foot does, but for someone like Mikoto that'd just make the board go vertical-she'd get a credit card.

Board up her ass or worse.

Mikoto runs up to the front desk with the shoe before I can say anything else and comes back, setting the shoe down carefully. Perhaps all hope isn't lost. Perhaps Mikoto's father drilled certain habits into her-like not running with scissors, being careful when handling glass, and being careful when she is handling things that don't belong to her. Although, considering Mikoto she'd put down a shoe carefully, but just slam down a glass vase or something along those lines without a second thought.

The sound of a filer being run across grip tape makes me head to the front desk with some haste. It's awfully nice of this young man to put the board together right here and now for Mikoto, it'd only take me a few minutes to do the same thing, but it saves me the time of having to keep her at bay. Mikoto for her part just grouses as I tug her along by the wrist, because quite frankly I don't need her getting sidetracked.

"Is this all you want?" He looks at me and then Mikoto, a box of shoes and skateboard are resting against each other on the front desk.

So...After about twenty extra minutes we leave the skate shop. I got another pair of skate shoes and some wheels. My skate shoes are still pretty durable despite the holes in them, but it doesn't hurt to have another pair, and my board has a ways to go before it snaps in half. I got an extra set of wheels because mine are getting very small. Mikoto on the other hand has five giant bags just packed with stuff, to the point I have to carry two just so she can free her hands up. She got pants, shirts, those lung bag looking things, a few actual bags, socks, and two more pairs of shoes-Vans of course.

I'm not sure what the total came to-the conversion from USD to Yen is still kind of shaky ground for me, but I can say that I wouldn't have bought half of the things that she did if I were given the option. It came to a very large sum, one which Mikoto paid easily enough. I'm pretty aware that Natsuru and Shizuku are pretty much loaded since their parents are never around, and Akane has her own income of money thanks to her job, but Mikoto having some odd thousand yen right in her pocket just completely throws me off.

"So, what are you going to teach me first?" Mikoto asks excitedly.

"How to balance, kick, and coast."

* * *

I shut the door to my apartment and take note that it is a quarter passed seven. I take a quick shower, heat up left overs, take my seat next to Stubby Bear, and put on one of my Godzilla movies.

"You're looking pretty rough there, girly!" Stubby Bear waves at me from his spot on the couch.

"You're looking pretty comfortable, you oaf."

Stubby Bear snorts, or a sound awfully close to it. "Don't take out your mental exhaustion on me, heat up some more of those left overs!"

"You don't even have to eat!"

"I still enjoy it, thank you!"

"Get your stubs out of my food, damn it! I'll give you your own!"

Damn am I beat! Stubby Bear isn't helping either!

Mikoto is energetic, but teaching her skateboarding...Where can I even begin with the spectacle that is Mikoto getting on a skateboard? First I guess would be the fact she ran at full speed the first time, jumped on the board, and nearly fell on the back of her head. Naturally she stopped herself from splitting her empty head open by grabbing onto my shirt and nearly taking me along for the ride.

She did what I told her not to do in the first place. I guess it's a matter of her learning for herself and not me being some mean adult telling her not to do this and that because I like to spoil fun. After this incident, Mikoto managed to calm down a bit and got more focused as I took her through the basics. First it was finding if she was goofy or regular, and she is goofy.

Once that was figured out it went to basic balancing. I had her space her feet apart between narrow and wide, on the nose and tail, in the center of the board, and on the bolts. This went on for about an hour before I felt comfortable with Mikoto having her basic bearings on a board. I went on to show her foot placement on pushing the board, how everything should line up, and not to push mongo foot. Of course she asked me why she shouldn't push mongo and what it means-I explained it'd bring her into fakie-which I had to explain is riding backwards.

This satsifed Mikoto a great deal because she worked on her balance and getting the feel of pushing for the rest of the three hours. She learned what manuals are and nose manuals-remarkably her balance while horrible, was damn good for nose manuals as compared to regular manuals. I guess it only makes sense Mikoto would be an ace with nose manuals but struggle with manuals, but then again it is a little too early to tell.

I'm just glad that Mikoto was more than happy enough to get the hang of pushing and overall balance. She didn't pester me to show her the Ollie, kickflip, or any other trick for that matter. I can credit to my insistence on getting the hang of the basics, or the simple fact Mikoto found skateboarding to be a lot harder than she thought while watching people who are super good, doing it.

Maybe the bundle of energy has some sense after all.

However, in place of one bundle another is within my presence at the moment. Stubby Bear. The little shit really tried to put his stub in my plate of food just now-I mean where does he get off? It's not enough he looks at me with invisible drool dripping from his mouth like he's one of my dogs begging. Really, the only thing missing was him sticking his stubs or nose in my food-honestly...

But, I'm just glad to be home, and for all of his quirks, I do enjoy Stubby Bear's company. He's a lively one, and he also has answers to all of the questions I've asked him thus far.

"Stubby Bear..."

He gives me a look before tilting his head. "What is it?"

I pause for a second, debating how I should word this question. I know Stubby Bear may lie to me, depending on what I ask, though I haven't sensed that from him as of yet. He has a script to go by, and me going off of the walls is probably not in that script.

"I've been getting some weird feelings around three people at school, but there is one in particular I feel very weird around."

"Is this about what you and Shizuku did the other day?"

"Absolutely not! How did you even know I kissed her?"

He laughs. "I heard the commotion and I took a peek. Not to mention Mikoto and Akane wouldn't stop talking about it that whole night. Shizuku also had this hungry look in her eyes for the rest of the night."

"You little half wit closet pervert..."

Stubby Bear snorts again. "That's pretty funny, actually."

"I'm not a closet pervert!"

"You would make that retort instead of saying you're not a halfwit."

"You just want to play tongue hockey with Shizuku."

"Just answer my question, please!"

"Fine, fine..."

A few moments of silence pass us as we fill ourselves up.

Stubby Bear sighs, one stub scratching at the top of his head-spreading spaghetti sauce across it. I try not to sigh at the sight, really I'm expecting smoke to come out of his ears at any moment. "Whoever this person is, chances are she's an enemy Kampfer. Since you sit in desks, your senses must be flaring erratically, do you find yourself getting a little overwhelmed?"

"I've been overwhelmed since this happened to me..."

"Girly!"

"Yes, I do! I have an irrational curiosity. I also feel...Edgy around this person."

Stubby Bear nods, and I'm not sure if I'm relieved or not. "She's an enemy Kampfer then."

 _Hitomi and those other two are enemies..._ I can't help but feel surprise and shock at this revelation. Hitomi, I would have guessed eventually, but Sayaka and the weird girl always saying sorry-I'd never guess they are Kampfer. It could be-I'm not going to shove the possibility aside, but maybe those three aren't Kampfer-or just one or two are.

The thought of being flanked from three sides by three enemy Kampfer doesn't really sit well with me. I know Shizuku is in the same homeroom, and she'd fight alongside of me, but still...I've never liked the idea of getting jumped or people jumping others, and while this wouldn't technically be a jumping...It's a three on two or one, and the numbers don't swing in my favor.

There's also nothing but girls in my homeroom and classes in general-any single one of them could be a Kampfer.

"Girly?"

I come back to reality-a haze that covered my vision is gone, and in its place is the TV and Stubby Bear. "Yeah?"

"You're not close to her, are you?"

"Well...Not really, but I don't want to fight..." I can't help but focus on his head at the moment.

There's spaghetti sauce covering most of it, even by his ears.

Good grief!

"I know you don't, but that is the destiny that awaits all Kampfer-regardless of the color of their bracelets. You can only avoid battle for so long until someone, or people confront you..." Stubby Bear states.

I can tell he's trying to be sympathetic. I've had this oaf since I was about five or four years old. I'm certain he's heard my entire life stories and everything else, there were also times I took him to school, and he definitely seen the war zone that was my grade school playground. It's the only reason he'd be so understanding with me at this moment, other than me being able to throw down on a stove.

He knows what I've been through from an early age.

"Let's get you washed up." I change the topic.

I know what I need to know now.

The chances of Hitomi and her friends being Kampfer is far too high.

"What for?"

"You have sauce all over your head and it's getting in your ears."

He wisely keeps his mouth shut as I pick him up, setting his plate aside carefully, and move towards the kitchen. I place him in the sink and run the water-not in the same area as him. I don't want to hear him gripe about how hot or cold the water is-I'm pretty sure he has no nerves and can't even feel the difference, but that doesn't mean he won't gripe anyways.

Once I get the water at a warm temperature, but still a little on the hot side, I stick my hand in it for a few seconds before flicking it on his head. I do this a few times before pouring some over him with my palm, and then just letting it pour over him completely. I use the dish soap and rub as gently as I can-the sauce is pretty persistent and since he doesn't have actual fur, the sauce is inclined to stick, but I'm not going to allow it to.

"Hey-" Stubby Bear starts before gurgling. "You're getting water in my left eye!"

"You shouldn't be so sloppy while you're eating!" I huff, clearing away the soap. "Sorry about that."

Stubby Bear huffs indignantly, climbs out of the sink, and snatches one of the towels I had hanging from the handle to the stove. The whole performance makes me huff in annoyance myself and cross my arms over my chest. Well, I had no idea he'd have this little attitude when it comes to getting a bath. He's worse than a cat or dog getting one-the only thing different is cats and dogs can't talk like humans.

"I'll dry myself off in the room!"

"Don't get my bed too wet, you little slob!"

I sigh and laugh at the same time, wiping a tear from my eyes and massage my cheeks that are starting to cramp. I did find some amusement in shoving him in the sink and cleaning him up. Seeing how indignant he got over the whole thing is also amusing, I didn't think he'd really care if I got him wet-maybe it's the fact I was cleaning him up instead of just getting him wet just to get him wet.

I come back to reality when I hear a knock on my door.

I open it, not at all surprised to see Shizuku standing on the other side.

"What are you doing here?"

She fixes me with a stern look, not exactly impressed at the moment. "That's so rude. Is that really how you greet me?"

I roll my eyes. "What do you want Shizuku?"

"Can I come in?"

"Why?"

"I want to come in."

I growl.

"Are you really going to treat me like this after out two encounters?"

I narrow my eyes, suspicious. "Don't you have a house to sleep in?"

"I do, but my parents aren't home. They're both overseas or handling business, so I rarely get to see them."

"Fine, come in." I sigh in defeat, stepping aside.

I can't refuse her entry if she's lonely...I'd just be cold blooded for doing that.

I watch Shizuku slip off her shoes-a clear sign she's going to be staying the night, and saunter over to my couch. She sets her bag down on the same arm she did before, takes a seat in the same seat she did before, and then fixes me with one of her most intense gazes. I find my breath leaving my lungs and my eyes roaming the room, trying to focus on anything that isn't Shizuku.

It would be wrong of me to be so cold to her after what we've done. I also consider her a friend, and...

I bite the bullet that is becoming my life and sit next to Shizuku. She watches my movements the whole time-every step, every flick of my fingers, every single time I blink...None of it is missed in her eyes, she is observing me like rain on a window-how one particular drop streaks into another, except those drops are my legs taking careful steps.

"Godzilla again?"

"It's my shit, so don't complain."

Shizuku looks at me a bit confused. "I won't ask about that figure of speech. I won't ask you to turn it off though. I'm not a fan like you or Mikoto, but I've watched the movies growing up."

"Thank you for being so amiable."

Shizuku grins sharply. "I deserve a reward, don't you think? Also How did things go with Mikoto?"

I choose not to answer her first statement-she has this hungry look in her eyes, and the way she's eyeing...Well, it's clear what she wants as her reward. "Better than I expected, actually. I hope she didn't do something stupid, though. Like trying to Ollie a seven stair or something...How did things go with Sakura and everyone else?"

"Ahh..." Shizuku reclines back into the cushions, keeping her eyes on me the entire time. "Akane and Sakura started to fight over Natsuru after a few hours, sort of...I lost interest at that point, and Sakura had to clean up as her house was a bit on the messy side. so we left early. Akane is spending the night at Natsuru's house so they can work on a class project that is due at the end of this week."

"You crazy kids."

Shizuku simpers. "You have some wit about you, Andrew."

"Oh?"

Shizuku nods, leaning closer to me. I don't make a move, only watch her with trepidation and nervousness. I really wouldn't care or mind if she kisses me. She's every centimeter of a woman, her lips are soft, she's soft, and she smell really good. It's almost intoxicating being around her so close like I am now, and wholesome to be intimate with her.

"Other than that, it was pretty uninteresting. I wish you would have come with me..."

"Shizuku..." I flinch feeling my breath stop-her face is right by mine, her nose is touching mine, and it'd take just a...

We're too close!

I move away from her, but feeling her fingers tangle into my hair and her other hand firm around my back, I freeze in place. I don't want to cause any pain with hair pulling, I was tender headed before, and I'm sure it's gotten worse now that I'm like I am...Maybe I'm that easy to read, but I don't know what else to do. My stomach is doing flips and filling with butterflies...My heart is beating so frantically I can feel it lodging itself in my throat-its pulse throbbing right in my windpipe.

"S-S-Shizuku..."

"Yes?" She smiles at me.

Her legs rub against mine.

"Can w-we separate for a little while?"

She advances on me-lips meeting mine. She climbs up onto my lap so foxy-like and she kisses me again and again. She parts from me after about ten minutes, and I long to feel her lips on mine again. Gosh, this woman is driving me crazy!

I am about to go crazy.

"Why? I want to play...Don't you want to play? We have all night to play."

"B-but..."

"You were so aggressive and dominant before, what happened to that?"

I'm not even sure if I'm breathing at the moment. "That was different. My mouth was on fire and you were being difficult."

"Oh?"

"Yes."

Instead of backing off like I am anticipating. Shizuku does the complete opposite, first she slams her lips against mine, literally, I can already see a bruise forming from how hard she crashed into me. I have no reprieve though, as next she mercilessly shoves me down on the bed, my head skims off the arm, my hair is just as quickly tangled against it.

I can only grunt and groan in pain, the discomfort of my position is really annoying me. I didn't make Shizuku so uncomfortable or shove her head against the arm, I may have been rough, but that was all contact. I didn't shove her head right against the arm of the couch and then shove it down into the couch cushion, trying to sandwich her head under the cushion.

"Shizuku!" I finally manage to speak, not stuffed by the couch cushion, Shizuku's body, or whatever else is pressing above me.

"That kiss was different for you...This is different for me."

I can only make some weird muffled sound as Shizuku slams her lips against mine again, biting until I have to part them-the pain is far too much for me to be honest and she is persistent.

She moves her tongue against mine and together we try to find a rhythm.

Clearly she is pleased, I can feel it in the way she tenses up whenever I brush my fingers against her body, in my attempt to get oxygen and be upright. The small subtle gasp that manages to escape her lips is also a sign that she's...

Shizuku is damn relentless in her need to quell whatever it is that's burning inside of her, every time I pull away by an inch, I get jerked and yanked back, and to ensure I stay locked in this awkward position that she wants me to be in, she wraps an arm around me so she's right against me.

"Shizuku-" I gasp. "Air, I need-" I manage to break contact, but it doesn't last long.

She deepens the kiss and she...

"Mmmgghhh!"

After about half an our she finally decides to break our contact, releasing me from her crushing grasp. I try to avoid her gaze, but since she's right on top of me, her nose right on mine, that task is an absolute fail.

"You just felt me up!" I say with some finality.

"So?" Shizuku smirks.

"What do you mean so? You just..." I feel like I'm on fire and so is my face, and to be honest I'm not sure if it's because of arousal, flustering, or because of the blankets smothering the both of us.

Truly Shizuku is enjoying herself.

I wish I can say that I am-her kisses are electric and leave me breathless with my heart beating furiously, but...

"I didn't know you didn't wear bras, Andrew. What are you going to do if your boobs slip out on day while you are skateboarding or fighting?"

"They won't..." I grouse.

I know exactly where this topic is going, and honestly-I've had this talk with Stubby Bear, he likes to push the point, and I like to remain stubborn.

She simpers, gently sitting herself up while fixing her hair. She tries to move her hand from one of my girls that she decided to squeeze, but with an iron grip I stop her from letting go.

I have this weird, weird, weird feeling inside of me...Like...

Without a second thought I squeeze my legs together, teeth gritting as something...Something just erupts. I barely suppress the moan that wants to escape my lips, and with the same vigor I squeeze my legs together again. Unfortunately, Shizuku had yet to get up completely, and I'm squeezing part of her between my legs-but I can't help it.

"Shizuku!" I cry out, sitting myself up against the arm of the couch.

"I'll take care of you if you take care of me." She simpers, I dare say there's a tone of teasing and allure in her tone.

"I..." Biting down on my lips, I can barely keep myself under control.

Is this how woman felt when they...? No wonder they scream at the top of their lungs, among other things.

"Fine! I'll take care of you!"

"And, we're going to have to go shopping for bras. I bet you cut your boxers up to your crotch, so we'll have to get you proper underwear as well."

"I don't want to wear a bra and panties..." I sound so pitiful, so childish, I sound like I'm mewling and Shizuku is pressing every button on me in the perfect way that just drives me over!

"I refuse to have anyone see your boobs, and heaven forbid you fall and rip your skirt skateboarding or fighting. The only person who gets to see you in such a manner is me and only me."

"Can we talk about this?"

Shizuku brings herself towards me, and I can't even fight to keep her lips away from mine. I take them and she takes mine with the same passion and hunger, with the same vigor and strength.

"Now, let's take care of each other."

I do the only thing I can do at this moment-turn off the TV.

* * *

Morning hits hard. It comes way too fast.

It's not the sun that wakes me up, nor the noise outside as the city comes alive, and it's not even Shizuku. Well, it is Shizuku-but she doesn't wake me up by being annoying, kissing me, or anything of the like.

The thing that wakes me up is the aroma of food and my growling stomach. Normally, I will remain stubborn and not eat. I don't care if it growls for twenty minutes or an hour, eventually it'll stop, and eventually I'll go back to sleep. It's the time between those two things happening that keeps me stubborn and adamant of not getting out of bed. My stomach growling.

However, I know I can't do that this time around for a few reasons. The first. Shizuku is in my apartment, and if my hunch is correct, she's the one that cooked breakfast. I sure didn't. Stubby Bear didn't, so it must be Shizuku. The second reason is because if I don't get up Shizuku will surely do something that either makes me squirm or move around so fast that I'd fall off the couch, and probably smack my head off the table in front of it. The third reason, which really isn't a reason, is because I have to go to school.

Shizuku will ensure that I am not absent or tardy.

Coming back to reality and out of my haze of slumber, I recall what happened last night. Shizuku knocked on my door, I let her in after a few moments, she sat down and made her comments about Godzilla, and then she decided to manhandle me into the couch and bruise my lips. Carefully, I look under the blankets covering my body, and feel nothing short of shock.

"I'm naked!"

Shizuku takes this as her cue to come from the kitchen. She isn't dressed. Her feet are bare. The only thing that I can see other than her piercing eyes and long hair are her...She's only wearing an apron-a very short apron that stops just at her mid-thigh.

"You're awake. I'm almost done with breakfast."

I'm not sure where to start, but I figure going with the very first thing that came to my mind will be a good place. "Why am I...Why are you...?"

Shizuku sets a hand on her hip, smirking a bit. "You don't remember?"

It's all sort of a haze for me, but I can recall grabbing Shizuku's shirt and pulling it off before she pulled of mine. I bring my blankets up to my chin, suddenly abashed and downright frazzled. I...I seen Shizuku naked, in all of her naked glory, and she seen me! We touched each other and more while we were both nude. We pressed and held our bodies together.

Struggling to get a hold of myself, I look up to meet her gaze.

"You took care of me so I took care of you." Shizuku turns her back to me, and I do all I can not to eye her. "Now come on before the food gets cold. We have to get dressed afterwards."

Carefully, I wrap the huge blanket around my body. I make sure every inch of me is covered save for my calves and feet. I even take care to cover my thighs completely, because I don't want or need Shizuku making a comment about them or touching them. Once I'm certain I am not exposed I hastily walk to my room, ignore Stubby Bear who falls off of the bed in shock once I toss the blanket aside, and put on a t shirt and shorts.

I wash up a second later-hopefully I can avoid a situation where Shizuku is trying to join me in the bathroom.

I rub...Feeling a small ache. My steps did seem a little painful, but I had been so hasty in getting inside of my room-the privacy of my room that I didn't notice. I do now, however. I don't think I'll be skateboarding today, not with this persistent ache. I doubt I'd be able to do an Ollie like I normally do without wincing or at least clenching my teeth.

With all of this at the forefront of my mind, noting that I will be punching Stubby Bear later for his rather crude, lewd, and ridiculous comment and display of falling, I make my way back to the kitchen. The aroma of food is even more intense, and with twice the vigor my stomach growls. It's almost like it just pressed itself in, causing pain to jolt through me.

Shizuku made a simple breakfast. Eggs. Some broiled fish. Rice. And some sort of soup.

I take a seat at the table across from her-she is still wearing an apron, and her arms and shoulders seem to be closer together. It accentuates her breasts more than they already are naturally, and I'm inclined to believe she is doing this on purpose. But, since she's using chop sticks-I know they can be a hassle, and maybe she has to narrow her shoulders a bit.

I realize the thought is beyond inane, and I've yet to touch any food.

So I dig in with vigor-using a fork and spoon of course. The eggs are good, perfectly cooked. The fish explodes with flavor. The rice and soup compliment each other, and I even dump a few spoonful's of rice into the soup.

"What are you doing?"

I pause in my eating, chew my food, swallow, and then turn to focus on Shizuku. "What do you mean?"

"You just put rice in the soup."

"You're wearing nothing but an apron."

"I know." Shizuku purrs, her smile growing. She leans forward a little bit, as id daring me to look at her breasts. "You like it."

Unfortunately I do look at her breasts, but I can't really help it and it isn't my fault! Her breasts are well above average, clearly. They're not an A cup or a B cup, and I'm not even sure she wears a C cup. But, instead of retorting like I wish to at this moment, I just focus on eating my food and picking apart my broiled fish, setting it on top of my rice.

No need to encourage Shizuku any further than I have. After last night things have become extremely hazy between us or extremely clear. I don't want to entertain the line of thought to be honest. My heart has never hammered so fast or violent except when she's just a breath away from me, and I also have never experienced what I did last night.

I finish my food and look at Shizuku. She is finishing off the last of her eggs, albeit slower than I did. She finishes them off and then looks at me with such an intensity that I am tempted to run into the bathroom and lock the door. She stands up, takes our dishes, sets them in the sink, saunters over to me like a foxy mama, and then takes my lips with her own for just a few seconds.

"How about we wash up and get dressed?"

I know that if the two of us go into the shower, the last thing that we're going to do is get dressed afterwards. The shower may end, and we may partly dry ourselves off, but we won't be getting dressed. "You can wash up, I already did. I'll get dressed out here."

"You don't want to have fun?"

I rub between my legs. "I think I had enough fun for now."

Remarkably enough-Shizuku didn't argue or make a retort after I declined her oh so gracious offer. She simply went in the bathroom to handle my business, and I handled mine. I slip on my skirt first, then move onto the tight fitting undershirt I wear beneath my normal white one, and then I put on the white one. Socks and shoes come last, and by the time I'm finished Shizuku is exiting the bathroom.

It doesn't take us too long to get to school. It's not as fast as when I skateboard, but it's still pretty fast. Shizuku knows a few short cuts and other little alleyways we can take. Akane, Natsuru, Mikoto, and Natsuru are all at the front gate talking among themselves. They don't care to look in mine and Shizuku's direction, even when we're a few meters away-when they should be looking, as it'd show they are aware.

"What an oblivious bunch."

"Everyone can't be perceptive like you and I, but I do agree with your sentiment."

"Sentiment?"

Shizuku sets her hand on my back. "I agree with you."

"Hey, guys!"

I am brought back to reality by Sakura's and Mikoto's rather exuberant greetings. Honestly, I'm not sure which one annoys me more between the two, but as of this moment in time they are neck and neck.

"Hi." I give a lazy wave to the four of them.

"You look tired, Andrew-san. Long night?" Sakura asks.

"I'm not a morning person, honestly..."

"No skateboard today?"

"No, I...I am too tired." It's not exactly a lie.

She nods in understanding, turning her focus onto Shizuku-at the same time Mikoto turns her focus onto me.

"Guess what, Andrew!"

"Mikoto, tone it down..."

"I can push my skateboard really good now, and I can balance better on those manuals or whatever they are called."

I smile slightly. "That's good to hear."

"Can I learn the kickflip now?"

I shake my head. "You have to learn the Ollie first."

"Can I learn that today?"

I cross my arms. "Can you push yourself and maintain a fast speed."

"Well..."

"Until you can do that you're not going to learn anything else."

"But that's not fair!"

"It's not fair on me to carry you to the hospital because you happen to break your leg."

"I will not-"

Before she can badger me further Shizuku yanks her away from me, which Mikoto awards with a rather colorful and irate speech. Natsuru and Akane take an interest in me, as both look at me between curious and just...Calm, I guess.

"Morning, Andrew." Natsuru smiles a little awkwardly, waving.

"Hi." I say, a bit chipper, waving my own hand, hoping it helps ease Natsuru out of whatever...

"You're really teaching Mikoto to skateboard?"

"Yeah."

Natsuru laughs softly, but there is nervousness there. I don't know if it's me doing this, or if it's just how Natsuru is. I did snap at Natsuru a couple of times, but it's not like I tried to strangle her.

"She can be a little crazy."

"A little?" I raise an eyebrow.

Natsuru laughs again, this time more vibrant and carefree. That's better. "You're right! She a lot crazy. Just...Try to keep an eye on her whenever you're teaching her, she tends to take things to an extreme."

"Like her curry?"

"What about my-"

Natsuru looks a bit nervous-eyes roaming to Mikoto who is being silenced by Sakura at the moment. "Just like her curry."

"Thanks for the warning, Natsuru. If she gets too extreme I'll just have you handle her."

"W-wait!"

"No can do!" I wag a finger, thoroughly enjoying this. It's not like I'd tolerate Mikoto bouncing off the walls anyways-I'd go right to Natsuru's house and drop her off there.

"Why me?"

"Your her childhood friend, so you know her best. You can also calm her down if she's too rambunctious."

Natsuru is about to respond, but that is halted when Shizuku steps right up to us with that sharp, sharp smile on her face.

"President? What do you want?"

I can't help but notice how tense and on guard Natsuru is getting around Shizuku. It had been the same for me at first, but now I get tense for a whole different reason, and I don't have to be on guard...Too much around Shizuku.

"How cold of you, Natsuru."

"What are you scheming up this time?"

Shizuku smiles, setting both of her hands onto my shoulders. "Sorry to cut this short, but Andrew and I have to go to the library."

"For what?" I question, starting to get annoyed with the prospect of having to do such a thing.

"Class project."

"I don't even know what it's about, and there's another thirty two girls to work on it."

"If you paid attention you would know."

I sigh. Here she goes using logic again.

"You shouldn't skip out on class projects, Andrew-san."

"I don't care."

"You will when you fail." Shizuku says simply.

Sakura nods in agreement.

I growl, gritting my teeth.

Shizuku and Sakura are lecturing me.

Fantastic!

Shizuku smiles. She turns to Sakura, then to Mikoto, then to Akane, then to Natsuru, and lastly to me. "Sorry guys."

Sakura shakes her head-the only notable reaction other than this is Akane's narrowed eyes and Natsuru's rather firm expression.

"It's fine, Shizuku-san! Some of the class projects can amount to thirty percent of our overall grade."

I can't ask the question that I want to ask. Why? It's simple. Shizuku just yanks me along by my wrist, moving beyond the gate and into the school. I don't know if Sakura meant that it can amount to thirty percent of my grade in homeroom-or if it's down the board. It doesn't make sense for my homeroom project to effect my grade in Japanese Literature-they're two different subjects, and they're also a good four hours apart.

Of course, I can never find out until about lunch when we're all gathered and I can talk to Sakura about it.

Just as I am about to demand Shizuku to release me and stop tugging me along we enter the huge...Huge library of this school and she releases me with a little force, making me stumble forward. My eyes trace the shelves smothering the room-some go as high as the ceiling, though these are right against the wall, and others are at least ten feet taller than me-so we're talking about sixteen feet if not more here.

There's computers of course, desks, tables, chairs, printers, and all those other necessities.

The shelves, a wide majority, looked to be double stacked with books. They are all in Japanese of course, except for any books from overseas-where overseas I wont begin to guess. It could be China, the States, Russia, maybe even Norway or somewhere way out. Most of the books here are in Japanese, but a few aren't, I think. I'm thankful that I read that Japanese for dummies book before I settled in here. While my writing of the native language here is laughable, and my speaking is extremely rough-I can read Japanese very well. I credit it to not having to talk or actually write it out-both are extremely difficult for me, even if I am grasping it.

"Shizuku."

No response.

"Shizuku." I repeat, turning to my left-where she had been.

She's gone.

 _Where in the blue hell did she go!? She was just here a minute ago._

"Shit!"

My body moves on instinct-something light blue, sparkling, bright, and sure to a gazillion degrees slams into the spot where I had been standing. I can only feel shock-if that had actually connected with me, I'd have been done for. However. I'm roughly two meters away from where I had been standing prior-by the now charred floor. The area of contact is pitch black, and if I didn't know any better I'd say it will need to be repaired, otherwise someone may make the mistake of stepping over it, and well...

Shaking the thought from my mind, I focus on the present. Feet pressing into the floor, legs widening a bit before I stop. My eyes trace left to right, up and down, front to back, and side to side...However, I don't see anyone in here. In fact, aside from a few kids off way on the other side-who didn't notice the sparkling ball of energy, nobody else is in here.

Considering the shape of that attack, whoever launched it at me has to be a Zauber. They can't be a Schwert, because Shizuku is one of those and her weapons are extremely visible, and would have sliced through the floor like butter. I'd hate to think that there's someone like Akame wielding a gun with some explosive like this-it easily trumps the RPG. It can only be a Zauber.

My hiding place behind a shelf is absolutely destroyed as a nice hole is blasted through it.

I slam forward, steps confident and brisk. Wind hits my face, it blows my hair back, and it makes me narrow my eyes more. I can't see the attacks coming-but I can definitely feel them, the power behind them-the heat and everything else are a close second to this sensation. I drop low, swiveling with my right wrist off to the side-one ball of light blue energy goes crashing into a desk, the next is right on top of me-and if it wasn't for my dexterity as a Kampfer I'm certain I would have been fried there.

As it stands I hand plant off of a book shelf, and launch myself across the room. I can't see who is launching these damn things! Just as I'm about to take the time to look a shit ton of those light blue balls come at me. And, I mean a shit ton-I count thirteen before my mind works overtime to devise a plan of escape. There's at least four times that amount, varying in size, and they're all training in on me.

I flip back, breath leaving me as my whole world becomes inverted. Without a second thought I complete the flip, going into another, and another, and another. The balls are right against me. They threaten to scorch my fingers, singe my hair, burn my retinas with their blinding light, and punch a hole through me that'd instantly cauterize.

I exhale numbly, hands slamming onto the floor.

"Owwww!" I seeth, trying to ignore the scorching pain consuming my hands.

I hadn't even been struck and it burns like hell...

Shit!

Faster.

Faster.

Faster.

I can't flip fast enough. My world can't get inverted and back enough!

"Agghhhh!"

I strain, focusing on my center before I expel copious amounts of water. I don't care if it's waves, spirals, orbs, or spheres-as long as they dispel those damn glowing spheres of energy.

All I can hear and see are hissing and blistering light being reduced into a fine steam.

With a strain and half a cry I use what remains of the strength in my arms to heave myself up. I'm a bit surprised for just a second at the sheer height and velocity I was able to obtain, but the surprise quickly fades. I'm back in hyper focus, my knees are tucked, my arms crossed over them, and I propel myself much like a ball, flipping and flipping to the point I feel like I'm going to vomit.

All the while I miss being struck-debris pelt my form, and part of a desk's leg just smashes into my side-winding me, but I continue on in my rotations until I see a balcony.

I thrust my legs down and out, and throw my arms out to the side and down towards the floor. Next thing I know I'm sliding across the floor on all fours, but not before my feet made contact and I skidded back for a few inches. My velocity and momentum couldn't simply be stopped, combined with my flipping, it made my landing extremely harsh. I can feel the burn on my hands. I can smell the burnt smell of my slip on shoes from catching friction.

I take the time to pant, sweat beading down my head and driving itself into my eyes-forcing me to swipe it away with vigor. Carefully, slowly, I stand up searching the library for my attacker, but other than destruction and black marks on the floor-I see nothing and nobody. Certainly if whoever had been attacking me they'd be here getting a bird's eye view...

With careful steps, I proceed forward-getting a good look at the floor level. Nothing.

 _Is it possible for Zauber to control their attacks from afar...No, that's impossible. Stubby Bear would have told me that from the outset with abilities each Kampfer has._

I can't ponder over the endless possibilities of who attacked me, or how such an attack could be executed-without the person being close by. Maybe they backed off as soon as I got the high ground, but still...I can't ponder the full depth of this for one simple reason.

"Andrew Ambrose. Please report to the Student Council President's room." Someone over the intercom sounds off.

"Son of a bitch."

Shizuku had me walk into a trap, that little...

The same message sounds over the intercom again.

"I'm going to kick that stupid damn door down, just wait!"


	8. Chapter 8

Science class back in grade school had been fun. Yeah, it had been a fun class. It was one of the times we were able to cut loose. The teacher wasn't very strict, though he didn't tolerate nonsense, but he wasn't like the other majority of teachers in my grade school. But, on that note, he did have this thing called the adult chair. If someone fucked around too much, that's where they would have to sit, and it was behind a board.

Needless to say I found myself in the adult chair, behind the board. It was pretty damn funny, looking back on it, but I hadn't been an extremely repetitive sitter in the adult chair. I did do my work and pay attention, unlike some of the kids, but I also messed around. Some of my friends never left that chair and would be there for the whole class period. My one friend, at that time, sat there for ninety minutes after calling the teacher a bitch.

It had been a pretty funny situation. We were all screwing around for the most part, but my friend was getting out of control. The teacher had yelled his name, once, super loud. Naturally, my friend was like 'what!? bitch!' and of course at that age, everyone either laughed or made the classic ooo sound.

Other than some reflection, this all serves a purpose. I had gotten relatively good grades in science. It was easy and simple enough. Water has three forms, oxygen and carbon dioxide are opposite, one we breathe, and the other we exhale. We didn't get into the periodic table, though, looking back on it. We didn't get into carbon monoxide earlier.

Whatever those sparkling blue spheres had been were as close to solid fire as I've seen. They didn't look like fire, and they didn't feel like fire. Being burned is being burned, and those spheres were at a dangerous temperature. Fire took a while to reach a high temperature. Those spheres were a consistent, battering heat. If they had struck me on the torso, I have no doubt the blood and mush in my body would have turned to steam as part of me was scorched.

I used my water ability to fend off what spheres I could. The rest I dodged by I'm not sure how much, but I'm breathing and a soaking mess, so I am alive. That's what matters. Naturally, my water hit the scorching spheres. The result of that was water's third form, gas, and its second liquid as parts of my attacks were flying away like cut up jello. I would be more amazed or surprised with how things went-but the fire alarm wails in my ear, just as the PA sounds off.

Water comes down in its second form. Liquid. Sprinklers cut on-hissing and gushing. There's nowhere to hide. I try to push my hair out of my view, but it doesn't comply. I swipe again, more annoyed than anything. Smoke is traveling into the hallway, and all of the girls are screaming while covering their heads. I would think that the threat of possibly losing one's life would outweigh the need to coddle one's hair, but evidently, these girls don't have that thought. A few scramble, and one slides into a locker.

Teachers start organizing everything. They have eyes everywhere. I move towards the nearest door. It's just in the back of the library. I know they'll only bring me along to get into a line, but my instincts are screaming. Screaming for me to duck off and evade like a ninja. I turn on my heel and head for the door. It's just a few feet away, and I open it with a start.

I slip out, moving past three girls that are running with their books covering their heads. I don't even hold myself back like I normally would have, and I clear the distance in just a step. The sprinkler are still on, as are the alarms-the smoke is steady and thick. It's not a thick, black smoke that you'd see in a full blown fire, but the thin, almost white smoke that seemed more airy than dense. Nonetheless it is cause for alarm.

I follow a group of girls being led by a teacher. I'd guess it's a classroom. I'm on the second floor now, steadily moving towards the first. The teacher takes note of me, as do the girl, but nothing is said. The teacher doesn't seem to relax, but his posture soften the slightest. If anyone is unaccounted for in this situation it would lead to one of a few things. The first will be getting into trouble and suspicion, more than anything getting in trouble. It is the same way in the states-nobody really fucks around during the drills.

I don't know what happens-but the teachers would get mad if we talked or anything else during that, so...

This is an actual event, not a drill, so if someone is still in the building while everyone else is outside that is going to lead to eyebrows being raised. Did you start that fire? What class were you in? Were you in the bathroom? Why didn't you find the nearest exit or teacher? I can see the laundry list of questions being fired off already like a sub machine gun. I can only have one retort, and do only have one. I'd have to say I was taking a crap and had to wipe.

I wince for a second.

The thought doesn't appeal to me.

Hmmmm...

We finally get outside. Everyone is moving towards the entrance. I assume that'd be the only place we'd be able to go, considering this high school has an actual campus. There's confusion, panic, and more than a little anxiety. I see some important people talking about something on their phones, more than likely calling the fire department or confirming something with the fire department.

I look all around, but I can't spot anyone I know. Now, I don't know that many people here, but the people I do know I can't find or see. This is a big school after all, and the boys and girls are together at this moment, so it's easy to get lost in translation. For my credit I just stay put with the group I came out with. I'm thankful I wear the very, very tight long sleeve undershirt to this uniform. If I didn't right now, I have no doubt that I'd be looking pretty damn foolish. The teacher's name is Tanaka.

He tells us not to move.

Now, I normally would have made a face, but I don't even do that. I have no problem staying put. I am not going to be the odd one out that starts causing trouble during this. This isn't a fire drill-for all intents and purposes, this is a real fire. Had been a real fire, somewhere. My blasts of water must have put the flames out, but it still wasn't enough.

"Yo."

I turn around, feeling a hand on my shoulder.

It is a hand!

Hitomi is grabbing me. I shrug her off as quickly as I can. Every instinct and reflex inside of my body is screaming and jolting. Right now, I should be hightailing it or punch this girl right in the face as hard as I can. Fight or flight. No in between. No sitting still, like I am now. I didn't notice this stupid and cocky little girl in this particular line. I hadn't been paying much attention, my main concern had been getting out swiftly and without much detection.

"You act like I'm on fire." Hitomi comments, setting the hand that had been gripping my shoulder on her hip. "What's up with that?"

I take a deep breath, trying to ease my heart. It's not really working, but I still try to ease it. Between the exertion from before, and sheer surprise that Hitomi slammed inside of my body, my heart is going about five million miles. Even Shizuku playing her games and flustering me doesn't get my heart going this fast and hard, not even close.

"You scared the shit out of me." I hiss at her, narrowing my eyes.

"You don't need to glare at me like that."

I don't turn away from her.

"Anyways, that was a close call, huh?"

My heart eases just a bit. Probably because of the question Hitomi just asked me. We had a tense moment, and she managed to break it. But, that doesn't mean that I'm not on high alert or on guard. If Hitomi moves any body part towards me I'm going to be liable for wrenching her arm behind her back and shoving her down onto the ground.

"I guess so. It'll get the heart going."

There are students that express my statement with their actions. I see more than a few looking at the school with worry, concern, and a faint sliver of dread. Some of the girls have their hands cupped in front of them or over their mouth, and some of the boys have the usual hard squint of observation. They're covering the sun from getting in their eyes with the back of their hands, staring at the school with scrutiny.

I have to wonder if some of them are just trying to find a way to the girl's side. There had been something about a group of boys tunneling underneath the school and almost reached the girl's side. Well, they did, but it wasn't around any grass. They ended up coming up in the woman's locker room-more over, the showers where they'd wash up.

I hadn't been here for that escapade, but I have no doubt some of these guys are formulating some sort of plan. If I go from this way, or use this roof, I can shimmy on down and go this way. Maybe go a different way. This is the first school I've went to-that separates boys from girls, so I don't quite get the fanatic cult-like demeanor some of these guys exude.

"No, this is not a drill."

"Did someone pull the fire alarm?"

"We don't know. The firefighters are investigating."

I try my best to listen in on the conversations. The chatter is close, and distant-all at once. The voice rumble and jumble into each other. It's like distorted noise, and trying to find the one line that traces back to the distortion. Students are starting to ask if this s a drill, is it a surprise drill, and so forth. The teachers, of course, tell them it is not. Shizuku didn't run through the fire drill schedule with me during our time alone, since I've met her, ironically enough. Still, even if the teacher's weren't saying it's not a usual drill, and it is the usual, I would have a sick sense that it isn't just an ordinary drill.

Unfortunately, I am a cause of it. Whoever the second person is-the motherfucker that attacked me, I'm not sure. I know she's out here, somewhere. She probably has her eyes on me, watching my every move. I turn every which way. Some people are chattering. Some are silent. Some are getting restless. The teachers are talking among themselves.

I realize even if I hyper focus, I'd have no luck in finding the girl. Even if I could-I don't know how she looks, her age, her walk-I know nothing. I'm blind. The only way I'd know for sure is if I seen those blue orbs-hot as the sun. Then, I would be able to track them back to the source, and then I'd know how this girl looks. But, pondering this is just useless and makes my head hurt.

That's also not including listening to everyone talking-well, everyone I can that is around me. I don

"Are you afraid of fire or something?"

Only fucking Hitomi would ask me something so stupid.

Not even Natsuru would ask that.

"Who isn't?" I ask, giving her an annoyed look.

"Do you have a phobia?" Hitomi retorts.

I think everyone has a deep rooted fear of fire. It's the same with spiders or snakes. There's something about seeing them, that just puts a person on edge. Granted they have venom, eight legs, fangs, and things that'd turn a human into a pulpy meat soup...Even if they didn't have all of that, humans would still be afraid of them. They'd always jolt. It's the same with cockroaches, for the most part.

Though, with cockroaches...It's more of a repulsion than fear. In my case-I've seen them, of course, but I felt them...I felt a presence, of something, and I turn-there's a cockroach skittering away. Fast as lightning. Disgusting as shit. I don't blame women for screaming at the top of their lungs if they see those nasty fuckers-they fly, if they're big enough, too.

"I just don't want to be charred." I tell Hitomi, sighing.

"I get it. Fall off your skateboard."

Again, she Hitomi puts her hand on my shoulder, and again, I snarl at her. I shrug her off, but I'm not going to glower and glare at her this time. That had been my response the first time. I'm not going to simply glare and snarl at her for doing it a second time, I am going to make it clear what will happen if she touches me again. And, if she does, well, that's going to be her problem.

Now...

"You touch me again and we're going to have a problem, Hitomi."

She may be in the track and field club, but that isn't going to make a difference at all. I'm going to nail her one good time across the jaw or mouth, and put her ass down. Hitomi is going to scramble, she'll hit me too...But, I'm going to stomp on her ass. I honestly don't care if we throw hands right here and now. I'm not in the fucking mood to be dealing with her shit, and just being this close to her is making my skin crawl.

She looks into my eyes-smirking that cocky smirk. Her eyes have that cocky look to them.

I don't give a damn if she knows martial arts-you punch a man's balls, hit a woman's chest, and they'll drop like a stack of bricks. I'm not against doing this Hitomi at all, I'm going to come at her with the intent to kill, and I'm going to fuck her shit up.

"Are you threatening me?"

I suppress a laugh. "Honey, I don't do threats. I'm telling you that if you put your hand on me again, or touch me, we're going to be throwing hands. I'm going to fuck your shit up and break your fucking neck."

"Scary." Hitomi whistles, her cocky smirk gone.

"Keep on fucking with me and you're going to see how scary I can get."

"Ms. Ambrose. Ms. Minagawa. Are you two finished?"

Fucking teacher. Fucking stupid bitch Hitomi. I don't know is on my bad side worse at this moment in time-Hitomo or this punk ass of a teacher.

"Yeah, just a little worried." Hitomi replies, she gets by my ear. "I look forward to having it out with you, when that day comes."

"I'll bite your fucking throat."

Thankfully, we're able to go back in the school. The library, and rooms around it are taped off and nobody is allowed near them, which isn't too much of a problem, at least in my opinion. I'm just glad to be away from Hitomi, finally. I don't know if it had been the situation, or her usual nonsense, but that girl had really got under skin outside. Literally. I had been shaking and clenching my teeth, trying to control my urge to lash out with my fist. I don't think getting suspended is the best idea.

Shizuku might strangle me.

"Andrew."

"Akane?"

I look at the short girl. She's not transformed, thank goodness. Although, I would like to take to her about something when she is transformed. It wouldn't be a good idea to do that now since she's be prone to emotional outbursts. She has the same outbursts when she's transformed, but it's more of an anger-I'm going to unload my clip of bullets on your stupid ass, type deal. Right now-as she is, she'd be more likely to scream at me.

"Sorry. Did I startle you?"

I stare at her.

"Andrew?"

"Sorry. I zoned out there for a second."

"Are you...Okay?" Akane ventures, not quite sure how to start.

"I'm a little out of it."

"Did something happen?"

I wonder if Shizuku set me up for that shit in the library. Akane's question triggers that one within me. It isn't too far fetched that she'd throw me out as some bait to lure in a fucking shark. Natsuru is wary of her as it is. I can understand why. I don't know what happened between the two of them, but if it's anything like what happened to me a little while ago, I get why Natsuru is wary.

And, more to that point...If she is using me like that, we're going to have problems. I am by no means stupid enough to believe that all because Shizuku has an interest in me, doesn't mean she won't throw me out as bait. If she has the inclination to kill-she could follow through with it. She may put the inclination into motion, and instead of feeling me up, she's slashing a hole into me.

Can I confide in Akane?

Yeah, I can. We did make that pact. I don't want to think it's superficial. We don't exactly hate each other, but I don't take her shit, and she doesn't care if she throws her shit at me. As long as I don't start trying to put the moves on Natsuru or try to get with Natsuru-relationship wise, I won't suffer her wrath. Which suits me fine, because I don't need her unloading a whole clip and a half on me over that dolt.

"Yeah, but I can't tell you now..." I whisper into her ear. "After school."

For a moment, her eyes harden, and like a light switch was turned on-she's transformed. She's that gun toting, loud and foul mouthed, not giving a fuck little woman that she is in this state.

My gosh...

What have I done...

"That wanna be queen wants you in her office."

"Shizuku?" I laugh a little.

"Who else?" Akane asks, scratching at her head-she's got the safety on. She waves for me to follow after her, and I do just that. "What bitch attacked you?"

I can really appreciate how blunt she is. Now, Akane as she normally is will speak her mind, if she feels the need to. If she feels pressured, she will speak her mind. But, will she say bitch, and be foul mouthed? Not at all. Will she be so quick to say what's on her mind? Not at all. She doesn't talk all that much, unless she has something worthwhile to say-she's a quiet and pretty girl.

So, for that reason, I divulge.

"I don't know." I admit, a little ashamed. "I was in the library when she attacked me. I couldn't see who did it-only her attacks. Shelves and other stuff blocked my view."

"What was she?"

"Since she was using orbs of some sort, I'd say a Zauber. There were no bullets and I didn't see any sort of blades."

Akane hisses. She turns the safety off, there's an audible click, and I keep one eye solely focused on her. She's unpredictable whenever she's in this state-if she thinks I'm lying or bullshitting, she's going to turn that gun on me and shove it under my chin. She may shove it into my forehead, too. Point is, I'm going to be at gun point, then I'm going to have use my water, and there's going to be nothing but chaos and destruction here.

No doubt Shizuku will come in all of her glory and rip us a new one. I'm going to be pissed off, and Akane is going to be shooting. The result of that is going to be half of this school going into the ground.

Still, even as I'm thinking all of this-I don't take my eye off her.

"I have to tell you something."

I just look at her.

"Someone attacked me earlier. She was a Gewehr. Didn't manage to see her, either."

"Did she use a sniper rifle or something?"

The very thought fills me with more dread than the thought of a Kampfer toting around a rocket launcher or RPG. This isn't Saint's Row or Grand Theft Auto. Someone isn't just going to haul around weapons like that. Someone just isn't going to fire a sniper rifle. But, now that I think about-if it had been a sniper rifle, I definitely would have heard it. Unless this happened at the same time I was dodging fire balls, I don't think I would have caught the sound of the gun firing off.

"Hell no. Way too many bullets to be one of those. Aim was horrible too. If I had to guess, she was using a sub machine gun."

I feel faint. I step back, and I end up falling into a locker. My head bounces off, hard. I try to massage it, but it just makes it hurt worse. I set there, trying to compose myself-Akane is looking at me like I'm half baked. I look at her-blinking. My mind is blank for about a whole minute before I can gather enough wit to lift myself up.

Boy, what a day.

"Are you okay? Looked like you spazzing out like Natsuru does for a second there?"

I wave my hand, dismissing her statement. "You're telling me somebody was shooting at you with an Uzi? A fucking Uzi of all things!?"

"There's a chance it could have been a MAC 10. I think it was a Mac 10, there were a lot of bullets."

I feel faint again, but luckily this time I keep on walking. The shock value of that has diminished greatly since the thought trained its way through my mind. There's some Kampfer in this school that has a gun that can fire six hundred rounds per minute, or has a gun that can fire more than one thousand bullets per minute. Hell...Motherfucking...No. This is almost as bad as a fucking RPG or rocket launcher.

"Akane...You're serious."

"Of course I am!"

I laugh, at a loss. "You're not bullshitting."

"Nope."

"How..." I shake my head again. "How and why are you so calm."

Akane smirks this bloodthirsty smirk. "When I see that bitch again, I'm going to shove the barrel of my gun up her ass and unload my clip. I'm going to hoist her up like a popsicle!"

I can only laugh-I'm really losing my mind.

Akane looks at me, arching a brow. "Are you sure somebody was shooting balls of light at you?"

It takes us about twenty more minutes and an elevator ride, but we finally get up to the floor where the Student Council Chambers-for lack of a better term, are located. They miles well be chambers considering it's lit by one light, and that light is only focused on Shizuku. Of course, we still have a bit ways to go before we get to the room-and maybe unconsciously, we slow our footsteps down until we're at a crawl.

"Yeah-they looked like an energy blast from DBZ, sort of. I mean, it was glowing, and sort of looked like a jellyfish." I finally answer Akane's question.

"That makes no sense."

I take a deep breath, find my center, and I push out. This is tricky, and I really need to work on this, but I try to just leak out some water. Thankfully a torrent of water doesn't come out, and instead-a gentle sphere forms within the center of my palm. It's cool, and moist, but oddly enough-it doesn't drench my skin as it moves. It has the properties of water-it's sort of hard to explain.

Akane looks at my palm with wide eyes, for just a second. Then, she smirks.

"Think of my water sphere, but glowing light blue. There was white flickers in the orb, it almost looked alive or organic." As I finish my sentence, I dissipate the sphere into nothingness.

"I guess that makes some sense. I still wonder who those bitches were, though." Akane tells me.

"Do you think Shizuku set us up?"

"I bet that bitch did. This is right up her alley, with her damn shady ass. That damn wanna be boss queen! I'm going to shove my gun in her mouth and unload my whole fucking clip!" Akane snaps, growling like a savage animal-glares at the space in front of us.

My body jolts. I have been truly startled, and taken by surprise. The last thing I had been expecting ten seconds ago was a violent outburst from Akane. I should have been anticipating it-I should have seen it coming. But, I didn't, for whatever reason. Whether it's the thought of Shizuku using me as bait, that Kampfer attacking me, that Kampfer that attacked Akane and was unloading with a damn uzi or mac 10, or the damn fire drill...My mind is just not as acute as it normally is.

I'm really off.

"You're going to attack her with me, got it?"

"Hold up-"

Akane jams her elbow into my ribs, hard. It's super hard. I have to stop walking, and clutch where she struck. I can't breathe-it hurts, my lungs suck more air in furiously, but it feels like it's not even getting halfway down my body. I slowly crouch, before I fall on my ass, gasping, wheezing.

"You're going to flank me and we're going to fuck that bitch up! She fed us to the sharks. That elbow is going to be cakewalk compared what I do to you if you back out on me right now!"

All I can feel is anger. The pain is there, of course, but it just makes me angrier.

"You just fucking hit me!"

I swing off. Her flesh is soft-my fist sinks right into her stomach. I didn't hold back at all. The end result is Akane being flung off of her feet, hitting the ground with a thud. She falls on her knees first, gasping and coughing while clutching at her gut. I don't feel bad at all for doing what I did-now she knows how I'm feeling right now.

"Fuck!"

I lean against a locker, bringing my legs closer to my chest, Damn, does this hurt. I can't stop clutching at my ribs.

"That...Hurt." Akane growls at me, inclining her head so it's not on the floor. "Damn, you hit hard."

You hit me first..." I hiss, bringing my legs a bit closer to my chest. "I think you hit my lung with your elbow. Fucking shit."

"I don't need you wussing out on me."

"Fine, I'm pissed off now. I think Shizuku was feeding us to sharks. In the library she was next to me one second, and the next, she was..."

My hands ripple with water, and I'm feeling charged.

Akane stands up.

Yeah, we hit each other, but we're past that now. She got pissed, I got pissed, and we took it out on each other. Shizuku is going to come correct. I don't care it kills me, if she crossed me, I'm going to blast her through this school with my water.

"She was gone." I snarl.

"I'll kick down the door, use your water attacks to cover my bullets." Akane says.

"That's not much of a strategy." I can't help but frown. "That'd be good for the opener, and if we were ambushing her, but we need something a little more concrete."

"Cover my bullets with your water attacks."

"So...Drench the whole room?"

I can do that, definitely.

Akane grins. "Douse that bitch."

"As long as you keep your trigger finger down."

"Deal."

We get to the door, ready to bust in. Shizuku is skilled and she's used to combat-at least Kampfer wise. I don't think we can beat her, if we were to challenge her straight up. However, we're about to bum rush her. She's expecting us to come in huffing and puffing, pissed off with the recent events. And, we will do that. However, now isn't the time for that. I'm going to kick this door down, and Akane is going to go to work, and I'm going to cover her path and rush Shizuku the second the door flings off its hinges.

I want answers.

It's not a coincidence that Akane and I were attacked today. Its no coincidence we were attacked at the same time, but in different locations, if that did happen. She could have gotten attacked before or after I did. But, the two of us being attacked isn't a coincidence. I have to wonder if Mikoto was attacked by some Kampfer now, or did they steer clear from her? If so, why is it that Akane and I were attacked-when we're the most explosive ones out of the group when it comes to emotions and such?

I can only think of Shizuku pulling strings.

How...Unfortunate.

We get to the door, ready to bust in. Shizuku is skilled and she's used to combat-at least Kampfer wise. I don't think we can beat her, if we were to challenge her straight up. However, we're about to bum rush her. She's expecting us to come in huffing and puffing, pissed off with the recent events. And, we will do that. However, now isn't the time for that. I'm going to kick this door down, and Akane is going to go to work, and I'm going to cover her path and rush Shizuku the second the door flings off its hinges.

I want answers.

It's not a coincidence that Akane and I were attacked today. Its no coincidence we were attacked at the same time, but in different locations, if that did happen. She could have gotten attacked before or after I did. But, the two of us being attacked isn't a coincidence. I have to wonder if Mikoto was attacked by some Kampfer now, or did they steer clear from her? If so, why is it that Akane and I were attacked-when we're the most explosive ones out of the group when it comes to emotions and such?

I can only think of Shizuku pulling strings.

How...Unfortunate.

I suck in a breath, eyes hovering to Akane. There's no sliver of hesitation or doubt in her eyes or body language. She's ready and prime to attack. She's geared in for our assault. I have no doubt now. Shizuku will be taken by surprise, at the very least by our attack. Akane and I are on the same page, completely, and we're geared in for this.

I focus again, pulling in towards my center, and then I push out...But, instead of simply letting it out, I bottle it up. The water in my hands surges-sort of vibrates like a spring being put under too much pressure. But, once that spring is released, no longer compressed, it's going to shoot upwards and right out of the bed like in the old cartoons.

Akane nods at me, and moves in front of the door.

BAM!

She kicks down the door.

"Akane-san and-"

I let my power flow, erupting like some ravenous stream. Water explodes from my hands, and around my vicinity. It's as tall as eight foot waves, and twice as wide. I can hear Akane's shots-they're pound against my ears, but I keep my focus on Shizuku. I take note there's surprise in her eyes as my waves of water slam and crash into everything except the kitchen sink.

"You scheming little runt!"

Before my fist can connect with her jaw, Shizuku is sliding across the floor, falling to her back and hits the wall, hard. My fist slams into the desk she had been sitting behind, cracks it, and then finally sends it toppling down into a heap. The dull throbbing pain of my knuckles recedes.

"Andrew!"

I jump before Shizuku can wrap the chains around my ankle. My feet hit the ceiling, and I'm inverted for a second. I sprint to the side, defying gravity. I drop, sliding across the floor on my own water. Those skewers are coming right at me, another is going for Akane. I have a few choices, but only one of them will work ultimately. Thinking quickly, and keeping in mind that I'm still able to press the tempo, I jump low and slide on one knee, pressing myself up with one arm and spin, throwing myself to the side barely missing the chain that would have wrapped perfectly around my torso.

I let my power erupt again-and this time it's nothing but a stream of pure force.

Gazing behind me just long enough to see that menacing three pronged blades are coming right for my head, again, I shift again before spinning low and kicking off. Hairs stand up all over my body and I can feel the whoosh of air kicking up at me with more and more vigor. I flex my hands, slam them together like I'm praying, and sent a torrent at Shizuku.

Shizuku's brows are drawn together, and I can hear her hiss. One of Akane's bullets had been close to her right arm, the only reason Shizuku managed to evade that is through experience alone.

"Get ready to die! You bitch!"

Akane's unloading like crazy. Flash. Flash. Flash. Flash. I say she's getting off seven shots a second, she could be rounding off at close to seventy per minute. I dare say she's fired off at least five hundred bullets since we kicked the door down. It's hard to cover every single one with my water. It hard to form a wall around them. It's a little tricky to provide a smokescreen that'll keep Shizuku just not on her toes, but to keep her mind bouncing back and forth, and back and forth so she can't formulate a strategy. This forces her to improvise.

I realized that covering all of Akane's bullets was almost impossible, so I improvise a little bit.

"Shizuku!" I exclaim, feeling the steady trickle of blood flowing out from my right cheek. I ignore it for about thirty seconds. I'm within grabbing distance of this little scheming weasel now.

"Foolish!" Shizuku almost snaps, eyes cold.

Kicking up my speed despite my heart's and lungs' fervent protests, I manage to put just a few inches between us. My legs force ahead, shock waves brimming up my feet smashing all the way into my knees with each step as lactic acid starts engorging me, and the burn is just agonizing, but I push forward, gritting my teeth when I see Shizuku's eyes widen briefly.

I accelerate, again, and this time...

"You set me up!" I yell in her face.

I couldn't outpace Shizuku. But, I damn sure can and did get in her guard by being convincing and stupid enough. I'd love nothing more than to crush her pretty little neck I have in my hand. I can feel the air going down her lungs and back out, I can feel her swallow-I can feel her pulse. Anger burns me, and it surges me forward. I can only grunt and hiss as we collide with the nearest wall.

"I did no such thing."

"Save it, bitch!" Akane yells, unloading. "Hold her still so I can bust a cap in her ass!"

I stumble forward-thighs heavy as lead, calves solid as rock, and I hastily slam both hands on the ground. I steel myself as my sight inverts and my stomach dips from the sudden change. A shallow breath escapes my lungs as I land. My momentum forces me into a wild slide across the drenched floor-my water had yet to even dry or begin that process. I'd say there's a good foot around her, if not more.

I didn't even realize Shizuku struck me, until the blood oozing from the wound on my forehead draws my attention.

Akane skids to a stop, barely halting just before she hit the wall across from us. She's a short distance away, but if Shizuku and I go at it again, it'll take her at least a minute to get to us, maybe less. Firing her gun wouldn't do any good for two reasons. First. Shizuku will just play distance and cut the bullets in half, no doubt. Second. I can't cover her shots, and there's just glaring for Shizuku.

I suck in shaky breaths, closing my eyes in an attempt to fight off the heat in the pit of my stomach. The fury that is starting to take a hold of me. I shift my focus ahead of me, watching with barely concealed disdain-Shizuku taking two steps, before stopping. She's wary-very on guard. There's nothing in her body language or expression that she isn't taking this serious. She's very serious, and knows if she takes the wrong step, or says the wrong word I'm going to be coming for her neck.

We're out for blood.

"You'd better start fucking talking." I growl at her, looking into her piercing eyes. "Why did you set me up!? Why did you set us up!? I'll get my hand around your neck again, and I'll break it! Even if it kills me!"

Akane reloads her gun, pointing the barrel at Shizuku's eyes. "Let's skip past the interrogation. Let me blow that bitch to smithereens!"

"I'm telling you both...I had nothing to do with it."

Shizuku seems convincing. Genuine even. Her voice is genuine. Her expression doesn't waver. Then again. She's always had a good poker face. I never played much myself, but if I were to go up against Shizuku-I wouldn't know if she was bluffing or not.

"You took me to the library. You left right after." I snarl.

"You're a lying three faced bitch!" Akane shouts, firing bullets into the ceiling. "You set us both up for your own twisted little scheme. I'm going to bust a cap in your stupid ass."

Something in Shizuku deflates, it seems. Her posture loses in strength. It becomes less rigid. For a second, her eyes soften, and a long sigh escapes her lips. I don't know if it is resignation or conceding something, but...

"If you both just give me some time to explain-"

"Explain what!?" I snap, smashing my foot into the floor and sending a torrent of water everywhere. "You stupid fucking..."

Shizuku turns her palms up. The chains disappear. Those damn meat cleavers disappear. The pattern of white on her hair disappears. She keeps her palms up, arms extended out in front of her. I know what it is. A clear sign she means no harm and has given up. She doesn't want to fight and won't fight anymore-if Akane or I want to, right now, we can kill her.

"Big mistake."

"Don't shoot, Akane!"

I clash with this hot headed bitch, eyes meeting her own. I don't blink. I can feel my heart beating rapidly, adrenaline is flowing through my veins like fire, and I'm ready to fight. I am so ready to fight. I am so ready to grab Shizuku by her neck and snap it. However, I have to keep my composure. I have to remember that Shizuku is offering herself up, right now.

Therefore I won't let any harm come to her.

"Why!?"

I look at Shizuku, and search. I'm not quite sure what I'm searching for, if I have to be honest. My mind is nothing short of a fucking mess right now and I can't even see straight. Am I this woman's friend? Am I something more? Am I just something to dangle around to get whatever she wants, when she wants it? I don't know. And, it makes me so mad. She's seen me naked-totally naked, she's felt my naked body, she's kissed me, and she's driven me up a wall...

"Just...Wait." I plead with Akane, hoping she listens and doesn't open fire on me.

There's a tense moment. The only sound is the water I had used splashing back and forth. It signals even our faintest movements.

"Fine, I don't know what you're trying to do, but I don't trust this bitch as far as I can throw her."

"Shizuku, am I your friend?" I ask.

"I was hoping-"

I snarl, stomping my foot down. "Do. Not. Fuck. With. Me. Answer my question, now!"

"I am...But, I want to be more..." Shiuzku murmurs.

I inhale. I exhale. I do it again and again. Some relief washes over me, and I feel some excitement at her proclamation, but I can't let that sway me.

"Does this have to do with the White Kampfer?"

Akane shoots a look at me, and I note that Shizuku starts to shift.

"Yes."

I wave at Akane, and surprisingly she lowers her gun. I don't know if I should be wary or not. "Were you trying to flush them out?"

"I wanted to identify who they are, and if possible, who they hang out with." Shizuku explains.

I get the feeling she's hiding something.

"Is that all?"

"I wanted to verify if they were our enemies or not. In the event that they are, it'd mean that our pact has been causing problems for the Moderators, and you joining us has had a negative effect as well. This would mean that someone in this school, somehow, has contact with the Moderators and is reporting to them on the regular basis. Whoever attacked us would most likely report to this person."

"You think it's White Kampfer?" Akane arches a brow.

"They must report to someone, unlike us. They didn't appear until we made our pact. Someone reported it to the Moderators. The White Kampfer are the end result of that." Shizuku reasons.

"What about Andrew?"

I stare at Shizuku, not going to cut her off. I want to hear this, because it's getting to the point where I'm not going to be able to walk around in this school without battling. In short-I'm going to have to fight. I'm not going to hold back. If someone comes up to me and starts shooting or blasting me, I'm going to kill them. I'm going to fucking kill them and leave their mangled corpse behind.

"The Moderators could be having an internal quarrel, and one sent Andrew as someone to equalize what's happening here in order to bring their internal strife to an end. But, Andrew has joined us, so whatever incentive was behind that move, is a moot point. But, it seems that it has motivated the White Kampfer enough to launch attacks in this school."

Akane groans, scratching her head. "You're presenting that all eloquently and what not. Answer me this then. Why are the White Kampfer attacking us?"

"We'll talk about this after school. At Andrew's place." Shizuku replies.

"Hold on a second."

"Hold on nothing! You're going to let us come to your apartment and we're going to talk." Akane glowers at me. "Understand? I'm going to be hungry, too, so you'd better make something good."

"What the fuck are you smoking?" I snap at her, flicking my focus between her and Shizuku.

* * *

The rest of the school days goes off without a hitch. There's no more random attacks. No more blasts of light balls. No more gun shots. It's all so normal and mundane that it drives me crazy.

"Home at last."

I sigh, throw down my bag and walk to the couch. Shizuku, Akane, Natsuru, and Mikoto all file in after me. Mikoto shuts the door and locks it. Shizuku takes what is becoming her usual spot, Akane and Mikoto both throw themselves down on the couch, and Natsuru does that weird little shuffle thing while looking around awkwardly like she's in some spotlight.

"Can you sit your ass down already?"

"I didn't want to be rude..."

I snort. "Akane and Shizuku are the rude ones, you don't need to worry."

Natsuru nods, a little more at ease, and takes a seat. I'm thankful she does, because if she didn't I would have to make her sit down, and whether that means shoving her down or punching her in the gut, I'd make her sit down. Maybe I'd be taking out my frustrations out on her, but at the moment, if I were to do just that, I couldn't care less.

"Do you have any tea?" Shizuku prods.

I'm surprised she can even be so casual and talk about fucking tea after what happened today. She also knows I prefer juice, and only have juice in the fridge. The only tea I know how to make is the bad tea. Warm up some water, but the bag in, and viola! You got yourself a tea. This woman is used to that long brewed out tea that doesn't come in a bag.

I'm not going to do that.

"No, but I have juice."

"I'll have some! I love juice!" Mikoto throws her hands up.

I get everyone a glass of juice, and bring the gallon to the table. I bring some snacks, mostly chips and things like that with me. I set it down the gallon of juice on a towel-so it doesn't soak the wood, and I take a seat on the recliner next to the couch. I take a couple of sips of my juice, swishing it around in the cup before taking another sip.

"I'd prefer some tea, Andrew." Shizuku comments.

"I'd prefer to live a normal life that doesn't involve crazy bullshit. But, I don't get that."

"So I don't get tea because of that?"

"You're catching on quick."

Natsuru and Akane both simper while Mikoto audibly laughs. I'm glad they find amusement in my dynamic of conversation with Shizuku. If I wasn't so focused on why we're here in the first place, I'd share in that amusement, but since I'm so focused...I can't even be amused. There's also the fact I'm not going to spend twenty minutes brewing tea, wait another ten minutes for it to cool enough to pour into a glass, and wait another ten minutes before it's cool enough to drink. Too long. Too tedious. More importantly.

Juice is better than tea.

"Umm, if you don't mind me asking..." Natsuru trails off, looking at me for a brief second before turning his eyes to his knees. Weird, he's a guy now. "Why are we at your place?"

"We need a more private place to discuss...Something important." Shizuku supplies.

"Another one of your schemes, huh president?" Natsuru asks, a frown clear on her face.

I look at Akane-she in her Kampfer form, of course. There's something mutual in our eyes, in the way she nods at me. Yes. we're on the same page, and just like when we kicked down Shizuku's door, we're of a mutual mind with this. We were both attacked, and while Shizuku did have a hand in my attack, unwittingly, the point remains we were both attacked by White Kampfer. Stubby Bear warned me about them. He warned me about the reality of my situation. He warned me...

I observe Mikoto-wondering if she was attacked as well. It can stand to be reasoned that she wasn't attacked. If she was-Shizuku told her to keep quiet about it until we got here. But, knowing the silly girl-she would have been shouting about it and going on and on and on about who attacked her. If she didn't recognize the girl, she would have said so. She'd know what grade she's in, though.

"Nothing like that, Natsuru." I pacify.

"We were attacked today. I was attacked near the girl's locker room, and Andrew was attacked in the library. We were both attacked by White Kampfer." Akane finishes.

Natsuru is out of his seat faster than I could say dog. He is full of concern and caution. His body is as stiff as a wooden plan. There's a hardness to his eyes that surprises me, a little bit. "What!? Are you guys okay?"

Akane transforms back to her normal self-not sure how, but she's reduced to a blushing mess. Natsuru worrying about her, asking if she's okay, two seconds away from grabbing ahold of her and shaking her for answers...No wonder she's the flustered mess that she is right now. I on the other hand am not a flustered mess like Akane-I don't really have those sort of feelings for Natsuru, and he's less than impressive as he is now. At least when he's transformed her body is fit and fine-ass and boobs, looking like an hourglass.

I clear the thought from my mind, focusing on the objective.

"I-I'm fine, Natsuru-san." Akane manages to get out.

Natsuru's eyes are on me like laser beams, and it's my turn to set my hands in my lap and feel a little awkward.

"S-Sorry." He stutters out, relaxing, and taking a seat. "What about you? Are you okay?"

"Other than being annoyed, I'm fine." I reply, waving my hand at him.

"So..." Mikoto speaks up. "You two were attacked by White Kampfer? Did you manage to see who did it?"

I can only remember dodging and flipping like my life depended on it. I remember having to blast my water to extinguish the spheres of glowing light. But, never once did I manage to catch sight of my attacker. Between the attacks, the fire alarm, my water flying all over the place, and me moving at least fifty miles in the blink of an eye-I couldn't even see my shoe strings if those slip on shoes had any.

Truth be told there was no time to observe, at least in my situation. The library was a perfect place to maintain cover. Between the shelves and computers all over the place, I wouldn't be able to tell which way was up and which way was down. But, I do know that a Zauber attacked me. Only a Zauber can produce elements, or anything along those lines.

"No. The only thing I seen were these balls of light. There were so many coming at me at once-I counted at least twenty, and that was the opener. There were at least ten times that when things got heated. I don't think Akane managed to see her attacker either. There were too many bullets for her to do anything but evade and go guns a blazing on whoever was trying to pick her off."

"Whoever attacked me must have used a MAC 10. Only a gun like that, or an uzi could empty out so many bullets, so fast." Akane explains.

There's a moment of silence.

"Why wasn't I attacked then?" Mikoto asks.

"I wasn't either." Natsuru adds-looking at Akane and I. She looks at Shizuku, and she frowns automatically. "President..."

I wave at Natsuru, and get his attention. "I thought she was using me as bait, too. However-White Kampfer attacked Akane and I. Shizuku was only trying to identify them and if they were part of a different team, or went rogue like us."

"But, still-"

"No! There is no still!" I yell, cutting my hand through the air. I glare at Natsuru, and I punch the cushion by his head. He jumps, clearly afraid. "You'd better fucking stop or I'm going to beat your ass."

"In any case..."

Thankfully, Shizuku interjects herself to play the peace keeper. I'm about three seconds from punching Natsuru so hard his head is going to be spinning like a Beyblade. I will not tolerate this stupid little fucker to point fingers at Shizuku and treat her like a damn criminal. I did just that, but my reasons are justified, Akane did it as well, but her reasons are justified. Natsuru has no reasons to do it. He's only doing it because Shizuku had a thing for him, but from what I see-he only has an interest in that weird ass bitch Sakura.

That means this is nothing more than him affirming that he wants nothing to do with Shizuku. Not only does this knock us off focus. It's Natsuru's way of saying-I want nothing to do with you. Leave me alone. I already like Sakura.

"Andrew, your fist." Shizuku stares me down, and I can't help but feel anger.

"If you ever try that shit again, I swear I'll knock your head off your fucking shoulders. Kampfer form or not, I'll wreck your shit." I retract my arm, folding it across my chest with my other one. "Fine. We were getting off focus anyways."

Shizuku clears her throat. She smiles her little smile. But, she smiles a different smile at me. However, as things need to move along, she gets serious.

"I believe that there is someone in our school that is in contact with the Moderators. They are constantly feeding them information. It's how they knew about our pact, it's how they knew about our refusing to play this game, and it's how they knew that Andrew made a pact with us."

"But, she's a Black-"

"I was getting to that, Mikoto." Shiuzku simpers. "I believe there was internal strife among the Moderators. Andrew is what you'd call damage control."

"Damage...Control?" Natsuru asks, confused.

Shizuku nods. "Andrew's task was to get rid of us, get rid of the White Kampfer, and possibly get rid of whoever is in contact with the Moderators-because whoever is in contact with them has failed at their duties. With all of us dead, things can reset, so to speak. The damage that we all caused would be cleaned up and swept under the rug. But, Andrew made a pact with us-and is part of our team, so if this had been the objective, it is a moot point now."

I note all eyes are on me, and there is fear. There is caution. There's wariness. There's the fear that I will kill them at any given time. There's fear that I will turn on them. That I will throw what pact I made with them away and go after their necks. Truth be told-I had never been told my purpose of being a Black Kampfer. Stubby Bear didn't divulge too much. All I was told was I had to fight-there had been nothing about cleaning up a mess or messes.

This could all be observation and conjecture on Shizuku's part. Something that she pieced together on her own. It's not exactly surprising that she pieced this together. It's more than reasonable to think that I am some form of damage control. If that White Kampfer are getting out of control with their exploits-if Shizuku and this group are getting out of control with their exploits-that means there'd need to be some form of damage control. Someone to put them in their place, and if that fails, kill them.

However, I can recall Shizuku mentioning something about internal strife among the Moderators.

"I believe..."

Here it comes.

"I think there is a form of internal strife happening between the Moderators as we speak. There is a disagreement and a consensus isn't being reached. Originally-us red and blue Kampfer were supposed to battle to the death as part of a proxy war. We made a pact, and went against the status quo. The Moderators, after making contact with whoever is feeding them information in our school, decided to bring White Kampfer. It s reasonable to think that whoever is in contact with the Moderators is their leader. But, they haven't been able to sway us from our pact, and are exploiting what they can. This angers some of the Moderators. They send Andrew in to clean up the mess, but now she's part of our pact."

There's silence, but I can hear a couple of soft gasps. I can't blame whoever made the sound. I wouldn't know since all of my focus is on Shizuku and taking in her explanation.

"I sort of get what you're saying, but...It still doesn't make a lot of sense to me. So, what do we do now? Is Andrew a danger to us?" Mikoto questions.

"Shizuku..." I level with her-staring right into her eyes. "Do you think the person in contact with the Moderators is Sakura, right?"

"Sakura would never-"

I'm on Natsuru in a second, fist right by his nose. Mikoto and Akane don't move from their spots, but it's clear they're going to attack me if I cave in this fucker's face right now at this moment. I don't give a fuck-I will fight them both if I have to. I always follow my instincts. I knew there was something way too fucking odd and off about that fucking bitch Sakura. Hi everyone! My name is Sakura Kaede and I'm cheerful all the time and grinning like an idiot.

Fuck you, you dumb bitch. You can't be so fucking stupid to think there are two different Natsuru-one male and one female. Nobody is that fucking stupid. Only Natsuru is so stupid-and he didn't choose a different name for his female half. But, even he wouldn't think there are two different Natsuru-one male and one female. Nobody is that stupid.

That means Sakura is trying to play an angle.

That bitch is dangerous.

"Is that so!? And what makes you think that!? Mister I know everything about nothing about who attacked me and Akane!?"

"Andrew's eyes got super huge!" Mikoto gasps.

"I know Sakura isn't-"

"You want to finish your sentence, Natsuru?" I snarl, so close to him that I can feel his breath hitting my nose. "I'll cave your face in."

"Andrew-"

"Don't you tell me to calm down!" I whirl on everyone except for Natsuru, eyes on fire-my teeth and clenched so hard I can feel them grinding. "I'll kill you. You fuck with me, I will kill you!"

Natsuru is in the couch, trying to distance himself from me.

"You understand me, you little fucking bitch! I'll fuck you up!"

Mikoto and Akane both grab one of my arms-pushing and pulling, and Shizuku puts herself in front of me, grabs me by the neck, and moves my back with the other two. I'm so full of rage and shaking that I'm about to explode. I can't stand a dumb fucker like Natsuru who is so blind to the truth by his own feelings for a fucking bitch that they can't see straight. Usually, the man is getting fucked so good and hard that he doesn't give a damn about anything else, but Sakura ain't putting out for Natsuru.

He needs to back the fuck off before I snap.

"Andrew...Please calm down." Shizuku says, looking me in the eye. "Please."

"Even if Sakura is, we have no proof." Akane whispers in my ear, joining Shizuku in the gang up of my hot headed ass.

I take a breath, and once they deem that I'm stable enough to be let go-they do just that.

"Natsuru, you need to go."

I move towards my door, unlock it, and then open it. "Now. I'm a hair away from hitting you, and I don't need those three grabbing me again. I had beams of light shot at me today, I'm not in the mood..."

"O...Okay."

"Andrew, try to be more corrigible." Shizuku admonishes.

"What the hell does that even mean!?" I grouse.

"She means don't kick us out just because you're upset." Mikoto replies. "You also have to teach me skateboarding, so I'm not leaving."

"I'm not going to do that now."

Mikoto only shrugs. "Fine, but I'm not leaving."

So they all end up staying. I don't even ask Shizuku why she's staying, I already know why she is. Shizuku doesn't want to be alone at her house. Her parents are away on business, like always, won't be back for who knows how long, and it is late out. I wouldn't feel right letting her walk alone. I get the feeling Shizuku's worst fear is being alone the rest of her life or not being loved.

I think that's everyone's fear. Loneliness. Not being loved. To give your all and get nothing in return...

Everyone dreads that.

Even me.

Akane, Natsuru, and Mikoto are staying for...I don't even know why.

Since when did my house become a sleepover hub?

"Keep your motherfucking hands to yourself tonight, Shizuku." I order.

"I'll do that. I don't want to get on your bad side." She concedes with my order. "Though, I'd say I already am on your bad side after today."

I shake my head, laughing. "You're not. If you were, we'd both be dead right now. Even if it killed me, I would have snapped your neck back in your office at school. If I couldn't do that I would have let Akane turn us into a shooting target. Oddly enough, you're keeping me grounded and from losing my temper."

"I'll take comfort in that." She simpers. "Do you mind if we watch TV? Or, do you want to watch one of your Gojira DVDs?"

"I wouldn't mind watching Gojira or Rodan." Mikoto says, smiling for a second. "We can watch War Of The Gargantuas, too."

I look towards my room-wondering what that closet half with pervert could be up to. Stubby Bear, I mean, of course. I wasn't able to talk to him today, and more than ever, I needed to. He'd have the answers I'm looking for. He'd know exactly what to say and what not to say, and he'd say it all. That way, I get all the information I need.

I need it after today, but tomorrow I'll talk to him.

Definitely tomorrow.

"I was going to watch a Japanese Period drama, or a drama in general, but you guys can watch TV if you want."

"Awww man! Those are so boring! It's like a history lesson in school!" Mikoto moans and groans.

"Fair enough. I'll meet you in the middle-what do you want to watch?"

"How about Ryomaden?"

"I don't know." Natsuru comments from his spot on the floor. "That's real serious. There's others that are more comedy based."

Shizuku arches her brow at me. "About the Bakumatsu? Fair enough."

"Is it odd I watch that stuff?" I arch my own brow.

"I didn't think you were familiar with Japanese history considering you came from the States and all. You do have the history class, but I don't think you got to that subject yet."

I sigh, scratching at my head. At least things are back to normal-this woman mildly insulting me. Natsuru, Akane, and Mikoto voicing what they want to watch-total opposite of what I want, and what they want respectively.

"I'm no scholar in that department, but I know enough about the Bakumatsu. Shinsengumi. Mimawarigumi. Ishin Shishi. Hitokiri. The fall of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The Boshin War. The Ikedaya Incident. The ushering of the Meiji Era."

"I don't care what we watch, just put something on. I'll watch cartoons, even." Mikoto comments. "Just stop talking about history for crying out loud!"

"Okay, okay...I see you're not ignorant, we'll watch Ryomaden." Shizuku says.

She flips it on, and inches towards me.

"Can I have more juice?" Natsuru asks me, head on a pillow.

"Help yourself, I have more in the fridge when this gallon is all gone."

"Thanks."

Sure."

I jump, feeling something soft press against my side.

"Shizuku...You're a little too close."

"I don't think I'm close enough."


	9. Chapter 9

It is the weekend.

It's time for me to sleep in.

It's time for me to sleep in some more.

It's time for me to stretch out, and yes, sleep in some more.

It's time for me to go out and be the public menace in Tokyo flying down the streets on my skateboard.

Unfortunately, I only get to sleep in, and that's only for a short while. Somebody turns on the TV, staying mindful of the volume, but it still rouses me from my deep slumber. I don't want to guess who turned it on. It can't be Natsuru and it can't be Mikoto. Natsuru is the type to oversleep if given the chance, and I have no doubt Natsuru enjoys sleep. Mikoto is an oaf, and she'd just snore an entire day away if she was allowed to.

That means it's either Akane or Shizuku. If Akane is in her Kampfer form, I can see her doing it. I can see her turning on MY TV without a care in the world to the fact I'm sound asleep. Shizuku will do it just because. She'd do it to piss me off and get a rise out of me. I won't give into that, though. If I get so worked up, so early, not even conscious practically, I'm going to give myself a migraine before they say can even begin.

"Turn off that damn TV!"

"Don't be such a crab ass."

One of two things are happening right now. The first. Shizuku has developed a need to use profanity in the last twenty four hours. She's also developed an extremely bossy attitude. The second. Akane is in her Kampfer form and she turned the TV on without a second regard for my sleep, or anyone else's at this moment in time. My sleep is most important, of course, but I've always been respectful to people who are sleeping. I don't knock on the door, I don't make noise, I don't even move around all that much.

Akane...Fucking Akane.

"Akane, you better turn off that fucking TV..."

"Why? It ain't loud or anything." Judging from her tone, Akane is giving me a rather hard look.

I stay silent for a second.

"You'd better turn that shit off."

"Well, I'm not."

"We're watching something at the moment." Shizuku cuts in.

Of course, she has a hand in this. This is the same woman that came knocking on my apartment door, when I didn't even have to be in school for another week, all just to be part of some stupid festival. So, it is no surprise that she's up with Akane-with the TV on, disturbing my sleep. Disturbing Mikoto's sleep. Disturbing Natsuru's sleep.

"Andrew...Stop being so loud..." Mikoto moans.

"I'm tired..." Natsuru seconds, groaning like a mummy. "Why is the TV on?"

"Because dumb and dumber turned it on. It's not my damn fault they turned it on."

"Turn...If off..." Natsuru groans.

"I don't have the remote...They do..."

If it was honestly...Honestly up to me I would keep that remote in a damn safe. First I'd have to buy a safe, but the investment would be worth the money, given the current situation. The only reason I didn't lock it up is so I don't come off as rude. I had no idea I was hanging around a bunch of infantile morons, that can't read a situation or take a hint. I know Shizuku is the most perceptive next to me and Akane, so I expect better out of her, but evidently she's an infantile little moron, too, that like to play these games.

I won't be getting the blame for this. It may be nothing but stupidity on my part allowing dumb and dumber to have access to the remote, but in no way is it my fault. They turned on the TV-they flipped through channel after channel, staying on one only for so long to satiate their two second attention spans. Honestly, fudge has a better attention span than these two do. Mikoto has a better attention span-if I put on my Godzilla movies, or any old school movies like that, she'll sit down completely enthralled.

"Why did you leave it out for them to fiddle with?" Natsuru asks such a feeble question, in such a feeble way.

I can feel my sleepiness start to ebb, and there's nothing I can do that prevent that. I've wrapped myself in blankets, stuffed myself with couch cushions, but none of that can prevent consciousness from taking me over. It frustrates the shit out of me. This is strike one for Akane. This is...Strike two for Shizuku, I'm pretty sure. Two times now has she disturbed me when I was sound asleep.

"Because I'm a dumbass, how's that?"

"You're not lying." Mikoto bites at me.

"Fucking A-I'm going to get a safe to put that remote in after this fiasco."

With the greatest reluctance I peel myself out of the couch. I toss the cushions aside. They bounce and they hit me, but they're soft, so they just annoy me more than anything. I unwrap myself from the blankets next-the darkness gives way to a world of light, and I hiss when it all hits my eyes at once. How do I miss the bliss of sleep and the inky black that was a comfort for my eyes. I shift, bringing the blankets to my eyes again, slowly bringing them down to my chest as my eyes slowly, but certainly adjust to the white noise.

"Rise and shine Andrew." Shizuku breaks the relative silence-that I had been enjoying.

Ugh.

"You two bozos get up too! Mikoto! Natsuru!" Akane yells, hitting them with a couch cushion.

"Stop swinging that around before it hits the TV or my DVD and tape collection!" I snap at her.

Akane's eyes center on mine, and she draws her brows together. She thins her lips into a scowl. She stops swinging the cushion like some four year old, holding it above her head. Mikoto is awake, eyes on the cushion. She's halfway off the couch, head near the floor. Natsuru is a complete mess. I'm certain he doesn't know which way is up considering he has his head wrapped in blankets along with half of his body.

I look at Shizuku, frowning. She's just remaining silent. I'm not sure if she is pleased with all of this, or just finds the amusement in it all. I'm pretty sure it can be a combination of both, knowing her. I'm pissed off for getting woken up, I had to combat Akane when I wasn't even fully awake to start with, and now Akane is just seconds away from losing her grip on that cushion and destroying my collection.

"What are you? Four? You can just buy more."

"I swear if you even break a case, I'm going to have your ass on a silver platter. I have every season and movie of Ed Edd and Eddy- The Fast and The Furious trilogy, if you wreck any of that-I swear..."

Akane snorts. "All over some DVDs and tapes?"

"First of all, you can't find any of those tapes anymore. You'd have to give up two arms and a leg to get them, and they may not even work. Second of all, I paid sixty bucks for that Rodan and War of the Garagantuas, it was package deal. I'm going to take sixty bucks out of your ass, if you fuck my shit up. Then I'm going to hit you."

"I'd love to see you try that." Akane, apparently, is taking my challenge.

"I think you mean six thousand yen?" Shizuku ventures, looking at me with an arched brow.

"No. I was living in the states at that time, so it was sixty bucks. I have the entire trilogy of The Fast and The Furious too!"

I'm not sure how much it would have cost me to buy the DVD pack here in Japan? If memory serves me right, it was through a third party seller, but Amazon ships it out, or something along those lines. Some of the DVD sets cost up to one hundred and twenty dollars-or if I'm talking about yen here, I believe it'd be about twelve thousand odd yen if I have my conversion right. Some sites charge two hundred dollars for the DVD set and if I have my conversion right-that'd be about twenty one thousand odd yen.

That's not including the tax.

So, am I out of line for telling Akane I'll have her ass on a silver platter? Absolutely not. Am I out of line for having the thought to cleave her ass right off of her body and put it on a silver platter if she messes my stuff up? I do not think so. Of course, she can always pay my back the money, that'd be no problem. She can even buy me the DVD set again, but will that quell my anger at this moment if she fucks any of my collection up?

No it will not.

"Please calm down, Andrew." Shizuku says, she turns to Akane, pointing off to the side. "Go over there and hit Natsuru with the cushion."

"Fair enough."

"Wait-"

I watch Akane beat Natsuru with the couch cushion. He sputters. He stutters. He struggles to get his words out. Akane isn't giving him the chance to even say anything or get comfortable again, and it serves him right. If I can't sleep-he sure as hell isn't going to snooze away. There is no way in seven hells he will be doing that, nope.

"W-wait Akane! Stop! I'm awake! Stop!" He sputters. "One of you! Help me!"

"I'm fine on that. I'm kind of hungry." Mikoto comments, looking at me. "I brought some curry with me."

"What exactly are you trying to imply or say, Mikoto?" I look at her like she's about to sprout another head.

I know she isn't suggesting I cook breakfast.

"Stop hitting me now! Akane!"

The angry look Natsuru gives Akane is the only thing I need to see. He's transformed into his Kampfer form, probably because of his high emotions at the moment. They start to battle for the cushion, and Natsuru ends up tripping over her own feet-runs into Akane, and they both hit the floor. There's blankets, so they don't hit as hard as they could, but the cushion...

My DVDs

Hell...

FUCKING!

No!

"I'm going to kill you both! I knew you were in cahoots to ruin my DVD collection!"

"What!?"

Natsuru is at a loss.

"You heard me! I'm not stupid!"

"As if!"

Akane scoffs.

"Why would I want to do that."

"You both must think I'm stupid or something! I know you're in cahoots! It doesn't matter, you little ass is mine! You're next after her, Natsuru! Maybe you should have a chit chat with your ring leader!"

"Who the hell is that?" Akane sneers.

"Shizuku!"

"I have nothing to do with this." Shizuku said, calmly crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm not stupid, I know you pulled strings!"

"Really, Andrew?"

"I know what you and you two little lackies are up to! Trying to ruin my DVD collection!"

"That makes no sense."

"I don't care!

"Andrew-"

"Shut up!"

"I-I'm sorry!"

Natsuru apologizes-she tries to scramble to her feet, but gets a face full of Akane's boobs in the process. Her head bounces off the floor, she moans-Akane is flung backwards due to Natsuru's fat head, and she tumbles.

"I'm going to kill you both!"

"You're nine thousand miles off of left field!" Akane snaps back at me.

Somehow I find myself being steered away from the two idiots that made a mess, towards my DVDs. I pick them up, open the cases, and make sure no damage has been done to them. No damage has been done. I'm so concerned about my collection that I failed to notice Shizuku had been the one steering me away from Natsuru and Akane.

Mikoto is in the kitchen, setting down her big pot of curry.

"What the hell?"

"I'm starving hungry." Mikoto complains, stirring the pot.

"How about breakfast? Andrew?" Shizuku ventures, setting her hands behind her back.

Akane and Natsuru recover enough from whatever the hell they were doing to look at me with the expectant looks I'm getting from Shizuku and Akane. Oh yeah, I suppose acting like first class idiots does take a hampering on the appetite. They did expend a lot of energy knocking down my DVD collection and almost hitting my tapes-thankfully, I have my tapes in one of the drawers in the stand I have my TV on.

I really don't feel like making breakfast. That's why I brought out the chips and other snacks like I did. So we can all just munch when we want to and I don't have to go through the effort of making food for everyone here. Truth be told-I put in enough effort making food for myself, and if I include Stubby Bear in there since he always wants some, it's about double the effort since he's a bottomless pit. I don't know where that food goes, but it really goes down the hatch. It doesn't come out, though.

I shake the thought away.

Why am I wondering if Stubby Bear poops and pees?

"There's chips and other stuff there."

But, that's not real food! That's just snacks!" Mikoto whines.

"You're being rude, Mikoto." Natsuru comes to my defense.

"You don't want to eat chips for breakfast, either Natsuru."

As I thought-Natsuru's defense is feeble, like it was when I was held hostage in the Student Council Chamber. I'm not sure why this little dolt feels the need to open her mouth in situations like this. No good ever comes of it, and whether Natsuru is a he or a she, the end result is always the same. However, this has to do with food, and I can hear her stomach growl.

Clearly, chips won't cut it.

"Since when did I become a mom to a bunch of stupid teenager girls?"

"I'm really sorry..." Natsuru looks at her thighs, hands in her lap.

Something inside of me sways just a bit seeing Natsuru look so guilty. I wish he'd be more on point when it came to other people's feelings. mostly Akane and Mikoto. But, at least Natsuru is able to gauge situations like this with some relative dexterity. It's not like I told them-hey guys, spend the night, and when we wake up, I'll cook a five star breakfast.

"It's...Fine." I tell Natsuru, patting her on the head. I don't want to see Natsuru downtrodden, I'd rather see her awkward. "I'll heat up some left overs. You better stop looking so down or I'm going to feel you up."

"Andrew!" Natsuru cries.

"You promised, Andrew!"

Natsuru scrambles away from me, but Mikoto's irate shout makes me laugh.

I'd never do anything to break our pact, or the promise I made with her and Akane. I know they love Natsuru more than anything in the world, and I'm not going to get between them. They'll skin me alive, tear me apart, and feed me to sharks-while I'm still alive and suffering. I'm also not going to set myself for heartbreak since it's clear that Natsuru is only interested in Sakura-I can't take that step as I am, and even though I'm closer with Shizuku now, it's still a little awkward when I think about it.

"I know, Mikoto! Don't worry." I wave at her, laughing. "I'm just tired of seeing the dolt mope. The only time I'm going to touch Natsuru is when I'm strangling the moron."

"It is a little sickening." Akane points her gun at Natsuru. "Cheer up before I make you dance!"

Naturally, Natsuru is left speechless, trying to get words out, but nothing comes out.

Akane being Akane smirks and puts her gun closer.

"Okay! Okay! Just put the gun away!" Natsuru cries.

At least she's not moping anymore.

"While we're at it, now is a good time for you to meet our entrail animals. A nice breakfast to break the ice." Shizuku ventures.

I figured they had their own Messengers-as Stubby Bear called himself. It only makes sense. They are Kampfer, after all. They've all been informed of the events. I'm not sure who has been a Kampfer longer between the five of us. I want to say it is Shizuku, but it could be Akane. Shiuzku has that grace and poise, but Akane walks with a fearless swagger that just screams 'I've been there and done that, so what's new with you?'

But, I've had Stubby Bear since I can remember. One of my earliest memories is lugging him around as a child and laying on him. He is bigger than a lot of pillows out there. It had been long before I hit puberty. As far as I can remember I never transformed into a girl. Was there some delay or something along those lines? Had I transformed into a girl while I was sleeping, and when I woke up I was a guy once more? I had never been a girl when I went to grade school, middle school, or high school for that matter.

A delay?

That makes no sense...

I shake my head. My mind is starting to fog up with questions, that lead to confusion, and that leads to indecision. I can't afford confusion or indecision at this point in time, or at all-not at this point. Confusion will lead me to death. Indecision will certainly lead me to death. For now I'll just have to go off what I know for sure, and just forget the rest.

So, the present...Meeting these new stuffed animals and introducing my own-that closet half wit pervert.

"You brought them with you?" I look at the four girls, arching a brow.

"Yup." Mikoto nods.

"Mine insisted on coming." Akane replies.

"Mine doesn't listen and snuck into my bag." Natsuru replies.

"I didn't want to exclude mine." Shizuku reasons.

"I'm Electocuted Lynx!"

"I'm Strangled Stray Dog!"

"I'm Seppuku Rabbit!"

"I'm Harakiri Tora!"

I blink, as all at once-they spring from their cover and present themselves in front of me. If I don't know any better I'd call them a singing quartet and we're in the middle of Broadway doing some crazy play. Maybe even Vegas, doing some crazy show-maybe a magic show, and they are my faithful assistants. They help me saw the four other girls in the room in half, but I kick away the boxes containing their legs.

Electrocuted Lynx is white and looks like he had been put into a washer, had a fan put on him, and then-like his namesake, had a surge of voltage put through him to make his appearance seem so crazy. His fur is white. Strangled Stray Dog is a little bigger than Lynx, Rabbit and Tora, but not by a lot. His mouth is wide open, it seems, and it stays like that. His fur is brown. Seppuku Rabbit looks the most devious-I have to say. Between his red eyes, lop sided looking grin, and black-blue fur, he is quite the trouble maker. Harakiri Tora is a tiger-with a cheerful appearance.

It's odd, I know, but I've had a knack for deciphering these little fellas. Stubby Bear drives me up a wall, loves doing it, and will continue to do it. I imagine these four do the same with their owners, but...I wonder if they bond with these little fellas like I have with Stubby Bear. Do they feed them? Banter with them? Argue with them? Put them in the sink to clean them up after they've made a mess?

I have to wonder.

"Nice to meet you guys. Lynx. Buddy. Bugs. Tora."

"Who the hell is Bugs?" The rabbit questions.

I look at him, tilting my head. "I'm not going to call you Seppuku Rabbit, that's not a name. Bugs is what I'm going to call you. Like Bugs Bunny from Looney Tunes."

There's a moment of silence.

"Fine. I'll let you get away with that since you have a fine ass."

"Would you knock your perverted shit off!?" Akane snaps, punching him across the head.

"Ow! I'm just being honest!"

"You're a little ass!"

I turn towards my room in the back and narrow my eyes.

"Hey! Stubby Bear, come here!"

No reply.

"You closest half wit pervert! Get out here, now!" I repeat.

Akane and Mikoto try to hide their snickers, but I still hear them. Their stuffed animals, on the other hand, aren't as subtle. Natsuru's and Shizuku's aren't subtle about it either. They're openly laughing, rather loudly I'll add. I'm not sure if it's possible, but if these guys can snort, they're about to-or come very close to doing that in the next ten seconds.

"You don't need to yell at me like that, you know!" Stubby Bear makes his retort-I can tell he's coming. "Just after I got done looking up corsets and other things like that for you."

I immediately feel flustered. I told that little shit how many times now?! I'm not going to wear that stuff, ever. I don't mind if he looks at them, and even wants to take his pick at what he wants me to wear-but I will not wear it. More to the point, he doesn't need to be saying all of that when the four stooges are here-especially Shizuku. Heaven forbid she gets any ideas about putting me in something so ridiculous, I'll die of embarrassment. Mikoto, Natsuru, and Akane-I'm worried about them, but not so much.

My fluster gives way to anger as Stubby Bear makes his presence known. Big, stupid, and a fucking halfwit-he's just marching along without a care in the world. He looks at the other entrail animals present, and I can tell he's happy to see them. Like long lost family members being reunited. Like brothers and sisters coming back together. It's the same with the quartet, and I dare say they're ecstatic.

However, I can only focus on one thing.

"I told you about that shit!" I snap at Stubby Bear, marching up to him, tempted to kick him. "I don't need you saying that in front of my friends! You little moron!"

"One day your boobs are going to come flopping out! I'm trying to help you!"

"You're not helping anything. You're indulging your own perverted fantasies! You halfwit!"

"I never!" Stubby Bear snaps back.

I'm so irate I could kick him in his ass like I did the other day. This little stupid shit! I can't believe he'd actually say something so asinine in front of my friends. I should have expected it. I should have anticipated it. Silly me-I thought he had enough sense to not say such stupid things. I was wrong. I should have known the second he began griping when I had to wash him up, he'd do something like this.

"This is the thanks I get for trying to help you? I even found a nice black one for you that isn't too-"

"Stubby Bear! Shut up!" I snap, grabbing him by the ear, and hauling him up off of the floor.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! That hurts! Stop!"

I ignore his shouts, and set him down on the recliner.

"Introduce yourself and shut your mouth about that, now."

"I had no idea-"

"Shut up, Shizuku!" I snap at her, not even meeting her gaze.

Hell fricking no.

"I was only-"

"SHUT UP!"

There's a moment of silence other than a few snickers and giggles from everyone present. I'm glad I've become the source of entertainment. The nutcase sideshow to the perverted basket case known as Stubby Bear. Shizuku is never going to leave me alone after hearing about a fucking corset. It's bad enough she gave me every school uniform that the school has, but now...

"I'm Stubby Bear, as you've already heard." He shoots me a look. "Nice to meet all of you."

"What's up old man?" Tora asks, immediately walking up to Stubby Bear and jumping up on the recliner. "Is Andrew a good cook? I'm starving!"

"How'd you get yourself a fine ass babe like her?" Bugs questions a second later.

I'm tempted to hit that little shit. I'm with two perverts. A half wit pervert, and if Bugs has any sense at all, an inkling of it, which I doubt-he's a half wit pervert too, he'll shut his little mouth before he gets too far ahead of himself. Despite my urge to strangle them, I go to the kitchen and start heating up some left overs while cracking open a few eggs.

Everyone gets settled in their own way. The stuffed animals congregate around my gigantic ass of a bear. Natsuru and Akane are calm enough now, where they can sit next to each other without yelling at one another or hitting one another. Mikoto is content to just loaf around, half asleep, and still trying to gather enough wit rouse herself from her stupor. Once she smells the food, she'll be up and moving.

And, Shizuku...

Well...

"May I assist you in your task, Andrew?"

I turn towards her, hiding the frown that wanted to grace my face. I just try to look as calm and aloof as possible. I'm not sure why this woman feels the need to hover around me like a fucking wasp hovering around a beer can. It is in the wasp's nature to be a huge pain in the ass. It is in the wasp's nature to hover around the beer can, climb inside, and come hobbling out drunk as shit. Shizuku has a choice-humans have a choice.

Shizuku is making the choice to be that pain in the ass of a wasp hobbling on out of the can drunk as hell. Meanwhile I have to swat and bat her away, and just put my beer off to the side so the mean little prick can help itself. The only difference Shizuku doesn't have a stinger, claws, mandibles, and wings. She can't cut at odd angles and fly at twenty miles.

"What's with that look?" Shizuku is less than impressed with me at the moment. She sets her hand on her hip, flipping her hair. "I just want to help."

I can only think of my fight in the library, how this woman had been there one second, and was the gone the next second. She vanished just before I was attacked. I know she hadn't been lying to me-she went through her theories and what she thought was going on, and it was all convincing, but at the same time, it wasn't. I think it's just the fact I didn't break whoever attacked me in half.

"You need to understand there are two types of people in this world, Shizuku."

"Oh?"

I snatch her by the wrist, clenching with some strength. I pull her towards me, eyes trained on everyone else. They have no idea what is going on at this moment, which is a good thing. Because I might punch Shizuku in her throat right here and now.

"There are people who love to fight, and there are people who love to kill. Do you know which one I am..."

Shizuku's hard eyes harden even more. She doesn't try to yank away from me. "You're a killer."

"So stop fucking with me."

"It's only natural to tease the one you like. I didn't understand it when I was little, but I understand now."

I give her a look.

"Still, I didn't think you enjoyed corsets. You're so stubborn, but I guess those would fit you nicely."

I can scream in embarrassment, seriously. Stubby Bear is such a stupid ass bringing that up in front of my friends-in front of Shizuku of all people. It's not like she hasn't bumped up my knee already or has tried to suck out my tongue from my mouth. Now she has another thing that she wants to see-me in a corset-so tight that I can't breathe or sit down right. If I was in front of Stubby Bear I likely wouldn't mind-his stupid and asinine comments aside, I don't exactly feel flustered in front of him.

But, I can't wear something like that in front of Shizuku. She'd have to wear one too, and I'd feel more awkward because we're both wearing something that is squeezing our bodies. Not to mention-I'd be wearing that in front of Shizuku. We've been naked together, and have embraced naked, so it shouldn't be a big deal, but I can't help but think of the entire situation being awkward.

"I am not wearing them. I told that halfwit to browse, but that is it. He's not supposed to order anything."

"Did he?"

Shizuku's prodding makes me shiver.

"He better not have, now help me with breakfast, and stop thinking about me wearing something so ridiculous."

"I don't think it's ridiculous. A corset suits you perfectly, but I'll help you cook."

"Thanks."

Shizuku inches closer to me, and I do my best to ignore her. I don't want to be rude, but I also don't want to act like I normally would when this woman gets this way in front of everyone else. I want to keep that part of me private, and certain things private. She also needs to stop talking about me and corsets. I focus on cracking open the eggs, and getting the fish out.

"Broiled fish?" Shizuku ventures, taking one of them.

"Yeah. Work on the fish. I'll make the rice and eggs."

We go about our tasks. I heat up some leftovers while I let the eggs cook. I start the rice, and just watch it to make sure nothing goes wrong. I've seen too many animes where there's the person who can't cook, and somehow there's a mountain of mushy rice flowing out of the pot. This doesn't happen, and he breakfast is prepared in just short of an hour. The only thing missing from this is miso soup, but I don't care for tofu-has no taste, and it's kind of chewy.

I get the chips I had set out last night and put them away. I clean up the table as well, throwing away any mess that had accumulated. I throw away Mikoto's chocolate wrappers and Natsuru's candy wrappers. I hear a loud clang-I know exactly what it is and who caused it.

"Mikoto! I told you not to slam down that damn pot!"

"Stop yelling at me!"

I growl, marching into the kitchen. I steer towards her, with a purpose. "Stop. Slamming. The pot. On the table."

Mikoto glares me-her head grows three times as big to compensate for our height difference. "Don't talk to me like I'm a child!"

"Stop acting like one!"

"Both of you." Shizuku yanks us down onto chairs. "Stop and eat. Mikoto, there's rice for your curry."

"Thank you, Andrew!"

At this point I'm not going to ponder how or why Mikoto just did a one eighty with her mood. She's a little bundle of life and energy that can go on forever. Like the pink Energizer bunny in those battery commercials. I'm just glad the little bundle wasn't upset for too long. I have no idea what I'll do when and if the day comes that Mikoto is downtrodden or upset about something, for a long time.

We all get our portions, and I get the stuffed animals there own little plates of food. The last thing I'm going to have our five little morons drooling over my plate, or someone else's. Stubby Bear does everything but drool whenever he eyes my food, or wants some of my food. I have no doubt Tora, Lynx, Bugs, and Buddy are the exact same.

"Thanks for the food!" Tora says, before stuffing his face into the plate.

Literally.

"Don't make a mess!" Natsuru hisses at him, glaring. "Do you even need to eat anyways?"

"I wondered that myself, once upon a time." I tell Natsuru, taking a seat on the floor next to her. I grab the remote, and flip through the stations until I get to Cartoon Network. "I stopped wondering when mine wanted some cake I made."

Natsuru huffs, slowly lifting Tora's head out of the plate. "That doesn't mean he has to make a mess."

"I agree. If you're anything like Stubby Bear, I bet you'll hate being washed up." I remark.

It's smooth and calm, but we all converse and eat, and there's no tension or hostility. Of course there's the usual banter, and the stuffed animals making their silly and stupid comments, and us reacting to them, but it's all nice. It's better than having to watch over my back every second like I do now at school, even when I get around it.

"So, what are we going to do after this?" Akane asks, looking at me, and then everyone else. She's back to her normal self-no red hair. "It's nice outside, we should do something."

"Andrew is going to continue to teach me how to skateboard, you guys are welcome to come." Mikoto says.

I note there's a 'and that's that' finality to her tone. Basically, she isn't going to be taking no for an answer. That means it'll be a showdown like the day she tried to step on my board and I pushed her, and she tried again, and then I grabbed her, and she pushed me, and I pushed back. Sakura ended up breaking up the showdown of the century, and I snapped at her since she wanted to act like miss goody goody.

I don't mind wrestling Mikoto. I'll pick her ass up and powerbomb her, if I must. I only always get my way. Mikoto gets her way when I see fit, and that goes for everyone else.

"We're going to get in trouble. You guys can't do that in a public place." Akane says, adjusting her glasses.

"We can get to the old warehouses on the other side of town. There's an ice cream place right over there, too." Mikoto retorts.

I note Natsuru's eyes light up at the prospect of ice cream. "I do like ice cream. Let's do that."

"Fair enough, I suppose I'll indulge." Shizuku seconds, she eyes me before getting close to my ear, again. "I'll consider it a...Date..."

"Can you like, stop?" I grouse. "You're getting real creepy."

Shizuku ignores me-it appears. "What do you say, Akane?"

"We can eat a hot fudge sundae." Natsuru adds.

The modest girl draws her eyebrows together, deep in thought. Maybe she'll think this is a double date, or something. "My parents will be upset if I get in trouble that involves police, but since we'll be by the old warehouses...Okay, I'll go too."

"Woooo! Let's go!" Mikoto cheers.

I put the brakes on that. "We're not going anywhere until this mess is cleaned up, and all of you are going to help."

There's loud sighs and groans, and I don't care.

I am not going to clean all of this up by myself!

"Stubby Bear, Lynx, Bugs, Buddy, Tora-what are you guys going to do?" I look at the five stooges, arching a brow.

"You better not make a mess here." Natsuru gives his a stern warning.

"I won't!" Tora laughs at Natsuru. "You worry for nothing."

"We're going to hang back and watch some TV-you guys just go out and have fun." Stubby Bear replies.

There's something in his tone that makes me pause in my step, and look at him, but Shizuku and Mikoto quickly shuttle me off, along with Natsuru and Akane to finish up cleaning.

"We're getting ice cream!" Mikoto cheers.

M ear drums are ringing, now.

"Be quiet and use your inside voice." I grouse, setting down the plates and pots into the sink. "I hope you brought a change of clothes."

Mikoto shows off her skate shoes and skinny jeans. "I am always prepared, yeah!"

* * *

The old warehouses are huge, and it's clear that nobody has been around here for ages. The only people who would come here are skaters, breakdancers, people who smoke and drink, and maybe a couple that wants alone time. There's cement ramps, ledges, stairs, rails, and even cement pads that are a good twenty feet in length. It's a haven for skateboarding. The perfect place to learn everything from the basics, to the more advanced tricks. From tricking down stairs, to using rails to slide down the stairs.

The ice cream shop is jut four blocks away from the warehouses. Akane, Natsuru, and Shizuku make their way there to get our ice cream, while I hang back with Mikoto and see how far she's progressed. It's better this way, because if Mikoto had to wait one millisecond longer, I am certain she'd do a backflip out of her skin and start kicking me in the shin.

I distance myself a good ways away from her.

"Okay, show me what you got!"

Mikoto pushes. Once. Twice. Thrice. A total of ten times. They aren't little baby pushes either. She's bending her knee, and moving into the board as it were. She sets her foot on the tail, and shifts her bodyweight. The board turns whichever way she turns. She moves the nose back and forth-wheels off of the ground as she makes hairline turns.

It is impressive Mikoto came this way, in such a short time. She's really been practicing. The sort of practice where one is outside for hours and hour, from daylight to moonlight, and everything in between. I can remember doing that with heelfips-I was doing them for a whole day straight before I landed my first one. It had just been about to get dark, and I popped the board, flicked my foot, and it flipped under me, and I landed-clean. It shot out from under me a second later, but I still landed it.

Mikoto leans back, tapping her tail against the ground to bring herself to a slow stop.

"So, what do you think?"

"Do that five more times, and go as fast as you can. Try not to lose control of the board."

"Awww..." Mikoto pouts. "I want to learn how to do the Ollie and kickflip."

"We'll do that next, after this. Ollie first, though. That's the foundation for every trick you'll do. Show me what you got you little bundle."

"Ma'am yes ma'am!" Mikoto salutes me, grinning.

She runs further back than where she started and sets her board down. She throws up the victory sign, and I have no doubt she's so excited to learn her first trick. I just hope that excitement stays excitement while she is learning the Ollie. Excitement can quickly turn into frustration. People that are good at skateboarding, really do make it look easy, but there's a lot that goes into the tricks and it's all footwork, for the most part.

She pushes off, and Mikoto is flying like a shooting star burning through the sky. She flies around me, doing three second manuals to form a radius and straightens back out. If it's possible, with each pass, she's moving faster and faster. It's almost amusing how she looks, but I contain my laugh. My amusement if overtaken by surprise, just a bit. Some people can't even get the hang of standing on a skateboard, and here is Mikoto, moving with great dexterity and speed in such a short time.

Mikoto skids to a stop, keeping her front foot on the board. She moves side to side, hobbling to maintain her balance. It's more or less just her feet shifting back and forth on the board-she's feeling it out, finding that right balance.

"So..." Mikoto is so impatient.

I ruffle her hair until she sways my hand away.

"Stop it."

"Just let me have my moment."

"Ollie!" Mikoto chirps. "Show me the Ollie."

I do just that.

Mikoto is amazed.

"So cool~"

I do it a few more times-not popping the board as hard as I could. I just want Mikoto to see how it looks up close, the way my feet are moving, the way I jump up with the board, and suck it my knees. More so-I hope she sees how when I pop the tail down, my front foot slides up in unison. There's no pause. This is the tricky part a lot of people don't know until they actually do their first Ollie.

If Mikoto is the bundle of talent that I know she is, than she will catch onto this very quickly. It'll take a couple of tries to get it right, it's not enough to just see it, but to do it herself, and work through those kinks, that is the key. Still-just seeing it and how it's done should be enough for Mikoto. Pushing a board, and doing tricks are two different things entirely, but she's got a great sense of balance on the board, An Ollie should come naturally for her, once she gets the hang of it.

"See?"

Mikoto nods, setting her board down and stepping onto it. "Does it matter if I stand on the nose and tail?"

"Not at all. Whatever is comfortable for you. There's no rules."

Mikoto grins and pushes herself around. She slows down, and she pops the tail.

Her front foot slides up...

But...

The tail stays on the ground.

"Ow!"

I laugh.

"It's not funny, Andrew!"

"It is! It is!"

Mikoto huffs and puffs, stomping around in a fit.

I clutch my ribs, trying not to fall back.

This girl kills me, she kills me.

"Stop laughing so hard!"

"Sorry, sorry!"

"You're not! You liar! Liar!"

"Caught red handed!"

She huffs and puffs again, sets her board down, and stands on it. "Walk me through it, now."

I nod, slowly containing my laughter until I have to take a deep breath-sides and gut aching regardless of how calm I'm getting. Mikoto fell in slow motion, like a process, as opposed to just falling like a stack of bricks. I'm not sure how she managed to do that, but she did, and it was hilarious. It's not like she fell down a flight of stairs or something, she didn't even break any skin.

"Andrew!"

I take another breath, feeling a bout of laughter coming up. I wipe my eyes-tears smear across my sockets and go all the way to my ear. I have to wipe them away with my shirt.

"Okay. The Ollie. You want to put your front foot in the middle..." I grab Mikoto's foot, and shift it on the board. "Don't hang if off like that."

"But-"

"Don't hang it off." I say, more firm. "You want to keep it in the middle, since you're just learning."

I spend the next minute adjusting Mikoto's foot. This girl is getting so finicky when it comes to this I'm obligated to say she's obsessive.

"Okay, now your back foot. You don't want to keep it flat. Mikoto, stop being a penguin."

"Hey-"

"Enough! Curl your toes so it feels like you're about to pivot. Remember how this feels-your stance. Now, I want your bend your knees. No, don't go down like you have to take a crap and you've been holding it for five hours. Just sort of, squat, like you're taking your sweet time. Now, you should feel some pressure in your back foot, by the tail or nose, depending on your stance...Do you know what I mean?"

She presses her foot into the board, bends her knees, and adjusts her front foot. She's a natural, even though she hasn't done an Ollie yet. "I think I can feel it...Like If I press down, it's going to slide out from under me."

"Perfect! Remember that feeling. Now, when you Ollie-your back foot snaps down, think of yourself stomping on a can, but using your toes. When you snap your back foot down-you're going to slide your front foot up. It all happens at the same time. So, when you're thinking about stomping the can, think of rubbing your foot up some sand paper."

'That...Sort of makes sense."

I nod. "Okay. Now, you can and will do all of this right, and you may not get off the ground. You'd have to experiment for hours, but since I'm a master, you get the short cut. When your snap your back foot down, and slide your front foot up-bring your knees up towards your chest. You'll feel like you're riding a wave, sort of. Or doing a worm."

Mikoto goes about practicing. She doesn't get the Ollie at first. She doesn't get it in twenty minutes. The board skips and the wheels hit the cement. The plies rattle. A few times it goes completely vertical, and Mikoto has to jump and roll to avoid getting a credit card.

She finally pops the board, and it leaves the ground, just a few inches.

"Mikoto!"

"I did it!" She throws up the victory sign. "I am that awesome!"

I look around our surroundings, and I note the trio has yet to return. I had been so focused on helping out Mikoto, and laughing at her, that I didn't focus on the huge vacant spaces in our group.

"Mikoto...Where did those three go?"

"Huh?" She looks around, tilting her head. "I...Don't know. That's weird..."

"Are they being attacked?"

Why oh why now of all times-just when we were about to get ice cream...

Fucking...

Shit!

Before we can even take another step, we see someone approaching us. I squint to see who it is, but they're a little too far away for me to see. I know it's a woman, she's short, has dark hair-and from her outline, she's got quite the body. I can't tell where her hands or arms are-they're just little outlines, I am able to see her legs a bit more clearly. Something in me is screaming danger, danger, danger! It's just like the time during that damn fire drill when I had been around Hitomi.

My instincts, are telling me...

Fight...

Flight...

"Andrew...Who is that?" Mikoto questions, eyes narrowed.

"Ambrose-san and Kondou-san..." The woman is within range-where I can barely make out her features.

I swear, I've seen her before.

I hear something cock.

"Mikoto!"

I shove her out of the way, flying in the opposite direction as fast as I can. Bullets spray through the air-there's thousands, ten of thousands! I lose sight of Mikoto in the flash of fire. I can only think to run for the nearest warehouse.

"I think it was a MAC 10."

Akane hadn't been lying when she said that. That gun this woman is firing, is damn sure a MAC 10! I can hear-practically feel the cement being chewed apart behind me-windows shatter and disperse as the bullets carve through them with ease. They ricochet off steel beams, rusted and old, chipping away at the metal. I have nowhere to go-I can only run as fast as I can, and hope that's enough.

I have a thought to fire a sphere of water, but that'll do no good. I have no idea where the woman is shooting, and I'm now enclosed. It provides me with cover from the bullets, but now she can just unload-like she is, until she believes I'm dead or comes in to finish the job. I have always been wary of Akane's trigger finger-she's as fast on that as she is persistent, but this is just something else entirely.

"Fuck!"

I can hear the groan of steel and metal giving way. Bullets shouldn't be able to do this kind of damage-they can puncture steel, and do, but ripping a warehouse to its foundations-not a chance. It'd take an entire army to unload their weapons, and they'd need another twenty spare clips to recharge, and even that wouldn't be enough. Cement and debris are billowing, gathering like rain clouds, and the tell tale booms of something huge falling, shakes my ankles all the way up to my pelvis bone.

An archway collapses. I slide to a skidding stop, shift on a dime, and lunge for the next wall. Steel beams clatter and bang, metal supporters hit the ground with terrible force, attacking my ear drums with their harsh staccato. Still, I try to use my speed to evade what I can, but I put myself in this warehouse-the exit is closed off, and that means there's only one way I'm getting out of this.

Cement chunks hit the ground before me. They're twenty feet tall and fifty feet wide. I'm not even sure that I'd be able to lift them at all. I may be a Kampfer, but I don't my strength is that great. That's tons right there, thousands of tons, and it'd crush me like an ant. I invert, slamming my hands on the ground, and flip back, and back, and back, and back-forced inexorably back by the onslaught of this collapse.

My back hits a wall, and it is only on instinct I shoot water in every direction. It splits through the debris with relative ease, shattering it upon contact, sending clouds of dust and projectiles of rock shooting through the air. Still, it's not enough to stop the onslaught, and with finality, the whole place comes down on top of me. I use another water attack, pushing and pushing, and pushing with all of my might-I can't die here! I scream Mikoto's name, I can hear her, but she's too far away, yet so close.

There's fear in her voice, thick and palpable. I can hear it over the thunder of debris and crackle of steel bending. I can hear it over the crackle of metal being contorted and crushed. I can even hear it over my own scream-that is drowned out by the claps of thunder reverberating through the ground. Everything is silent, the bullets stop, the shooting stops, I can't hear Mikoto, and...

I can barely feel my heart beating.

"Andrew!"

I can barely hear Mikoto.

The concussive blast of force deafened me and knocked m silly. I managed to avoid being crushed-my knees and arms are bleeding, slowly healing thanks to my perks of being a Kampfer, but it's going to take a while. My lungs and eyes burn like sulfur was shoved into them-the billowing cloud of dust and debris is swarming around me, wishing for nothing more than to consume me whole, and to make me one with it. I try to move-pain jolts through me, and I turn over on my side.

"That's...Not good."

My right side is covered in blood. My shirt is drenched in it, and it's going all the way down to my pants. I can feel fresh blood still oozing out from the wound. I can breathe fine, so it's not my lungs. I don't feel any shortness of breath, that's alarming. It could be a wound that just cut too deep or looks worse than it really is, but that's still a lot of blood.

It's a lot...

I'm not feeling any burning, so thankfully, none of the bullets hit me. That's a miracle in of itself since there had been so may coming at once. So many had been bouncing off the cement and ricocheting off the steel and metal beam. I'd like to think I managed to speed around all of them, but when you have a hail storm of bullets coming at you, that's not possible.

Perhaps my water attacks had something to do with it, but the end result is now the same.

I'm wounded-I was attacked, again, and I'm wounded...

"M...Mikoto..." I groan out.

I doubt it's enough for her to find me. I have nothing against her, but she isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer. I dare to open my eyes-light hurts, and it turns into a hot white and orange. I embrace the darkness-it brings me bliss, but forces me to focus on my pain. It beats having my eyes fried by everything around me at the moment.

I'm just going to lay here, and...

"Andrew!"

"Shi...Shizuku..." I manage to get out, turning towards the sound of her voice. "Where's Mikoto?"

"She's...She's buried like you are, Akane and Natsuru are looking for her. Keep talking to me so I can find you, there's so much rubble around here."

"I'm so tired and in pain..." I moan, sounding pitiful.

Sleep...

Sleep sounds nice.

"Andrew, talk to me!"

"Un..."

"Don't fall asleep, whatever you do!"

"I'm...Tired..."

Her voice sounds close.

Or am I getting further away?

"Andrew!"

"Y...Yeah."

"Don't fall asleep!"

"You're not fair, Shizuku." I cry. "You're not fair..."

"I'm not letting you go and I refuse to let you give up, fight...Listen to the sound of my voice..."

"That's so...Cheesy. I thought you're too cool to say stuff like that."

"I have my moments, I am still human."

The ground shakes, and I know it's because some gigantic piece of debris has been shoved aside, or cut. Shizuku is on a mission to find me. The shriek of her blades cutting and cutting is a testament to that. I can hear Natsuru shouting close by while Akane unloads her gun-no doubt they're clearing debris as well. Still, I tense my body at the sound and feeling-it's like I just took a shot of fear.

I hear the faint footstep of Shizuku, and I try to open my eyes.

It hurts too much.

I can't.

"Is...Is Mikoto okay? Ow! Ow! Oww..."

I whimper, writhing, and squirming around like a worm. My side is exploding in pain. I don't think I can move. I can feel my knees and arms getting wetter and wetter-sweat is burning my eyes, and I feel some go into my ear. I'm not sure what's worse-how sweaty I am, how bad I'm wounded, or the fact I've been reduced to this condition.

I can feel Shizuku jolt, her hands leave me. What little of my body was off the cement, hits it again, and I can't begin to describe how it feels. I'm surprised shock and pain haven't made me pass out at this point. I guess that'd be thanks to being a Kampfer-I think any normal human would have lost consciousness a long ass time ago, probably when this place hit the ground like a stack of bricks.

"What should I do Andrew? You're hurt..."

I can hear the...Fear in Shizuku's tone. She's frightened to touch me, and that means I must look a mess. I only feel the pain and discomfort of everything-I haven't been able to open my eyes in order to look at myself. If Shizuku's tone is taking this sort of pitch, I must look horrible. I think she's just barely stopping herself from crying right now.

"I..I don't know..."

I wish I could move, but I can't. I've been hurt. I've fallen and busted my ass. I've biffed. I even got back up after coming a fucking hair close to breaking my ankle, before sitting my ass down right after. There's been times I've had to sit still after falling or getting hurt-but to be paralyzed by pain, to the point of shedding tears and hissing like a cat because I'm in so much pain...It's never happened to me before.

I'm not sure how much times passes, but Natsuru's shout shakes me to my core.

"Shizuku! Mikoto, she's-"

I think emotions are getting the better of Naturu, but I don't blame her at the moment. If Mikoto is in a similar condition as I, or worse, Natsuru's scream is more than well warranted. Spurred on by the shout, I try to move. It fails. Pain shoots through me as I have the thought to move. As I have the impulse to move. But, I manage to roll...

Over onto my back.

And, I'm out of breath.

"Shizuku...We were attacked..."

I fight against her the best I can, but end up crying. She carries me out of the mountain of rubble. I cough, going into a choking fit. Fresh air. How I've forgotten what it is. How I hate it since it's choking me at the moment. With the same haste I was picked up, Shizuku sets me down, being sure to be as gentle as she can. I don't jolt and I don't thrash like I had been, I just tremble and deal with it the best I can.

"Oh, Andrew..."

I can feel Natsuru near me, and the worry and fear in her voice is as thick as the fear and worry in Shizuku's.

"D...Please don't touch me...I hurt..." I whimper. "I hurt all over."

"She's bleeding, bad on her right side." Akane says-she's right up on me. I don't know if she's transformed or not. "Mikoto has the same wound on her left side."

"Are you transformed? Is Mikoto okay?"

"You're worried about her, when you look like shit? That's typical, of you."

I suppose she is transformed.

"Mikoto is okay, she's unconscious, but she isn't dead. You guys are both bleeding, bad."

I wiggle, wishing I could disappear.

"This is going to hurt...But, the bleeding has to stop. Hold her you two."

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

I scream bloody murder, punching the cement.

"I'm sorry, Andrew!" Natsuru exclaims.

No doubt it's because I sound like a dying animal.

"Fuck! Fuck!" I hiss-I've never been prideful, but I can't help but feel and be ashamed. They all see me so pathetic and weak, so filthy, so bloody...

So helpless...

"Fuck..."

"That should stop the bleeding for now." Akane's voice is strained. "We should take them to your place, Shizuku. It's closer. We should take the alleys and short cuts. I'd feel better if we wash their wounds and use alcohol for good measure."

"No..." I start trembling. "Don't do that."

"Did you manage to see who attacked you?" Shizuku prods.

"I..." I trail off-seeing a flash of color overtake the inky black. "I think I've seen her before...At school."

"Those fucking White Kampfer! I know it was them." Akane snaps, growling in fury. "Damn them! How dare they do this! Where do they get off!? Fuck them!"

"Center your emotions, Akane."

"Like hell I will! Look what they've done to Andrew and Mikoto! We shouldn't have wasted our time fighting those three sluts like we did! Look what they've done to our friends! You want me to calm down! I'm not an icy queen like you are! Fuck that! This makes me angry!"

"But, yelling won't help them..." Natsuru interjects, tone soft. "We have to help them...Let's just get them back to Shizuku's place before we get attacked again."

"Andrew, please bear with me." Shizuku pleads with me, finger tips brushing against me. "I'll move as swiftly as I can."

I just nod, and take a deep breath as she lifts me up in her arms.

"I'm sorry, in advance. Natsuru, carry Mikoto. Akane..."

"Don't worry about it. If anyone comes within eighty feet of us, I'm going to blast off their head and leave their brain ten miles away."

"Let's move with hast. I don't want to take longer than two minutes to get to my place. That's actually a minute too much for me. One minute is our deadline."


	10. Chapter 10

I don't come to, at all. I don't know where I am, but it's not on earth. It's too quiet, too lucid, and too blissful. There's no way this can be earth. Chaos is on earth, noise, violence, strife, storms, tornadoes, disorder, and all of these things are on earth. But, where I am now...There's only silence and peace. I see purple where blue would be, there is light, but there is no sun, and there's water.

Everything shifts, and I'm on the playground of my grade school. I'm completely aware that it is indeed my grade school, just not a place that looks like it. There's kids running around, and I look at the four and five year olds that are running around the jungle gym. I'm just standing in the middle of the playground, I can't move, my legs feel like lead...And...They...Won't...Move...

I take a second to gather myself. I can hear someone screaming. It's a girl, that much I know. Boys on this playground don't scream or yell like that unless they're in pain or just got done kicking someone in the jaw. I turn at my waist, since my legs are useless. Vaguely, I can see someone. She's crouched down, hands over her head, just getting wailed on. There's people around her swinging their fists and stomping on her.

Something inside of me snaps. I can't tell the features of this girl, but jumping someone like this is just pitiful. She's not even trying to fight back. She's only covering her head, but that doesn't mean her mouth isn't getting hit. I can see blood dripping on the cement, one of the kids stomping on her screams in triumph, winds up, and swings their leg.

"HEY!"

Somehow, I'm moving. My legs are obeying my commands. They don't feel useless. They don't feel like six tons of lead. I'm running at the group of people, and I jump at them fists swinging. I can't take all of them, but I damn sure will go down swinging like a maniac. Two are nailed in the mouth by my fists, and they drop. Three more swarm me, I manage to swing off on two of them, grab the third by their shirt, and swing them to the ground.

"Get the fuck off of her! Why you jumping on her like that!?"

My arms burn, and they're starting to feel like my legs had been before. But, I'm not going to let that sensation get the better of me. I'm going to fight against it, kicking, screaming, cursing, and thrashing. I'd be damned if I watch this girl get jumped and I just sit here and do nothing about it. The fight is starting to swing out of my favor, the people I managed to level are replaced by two more-their friends.

The hits that come I can barely feel, but my body goes through the motions of whiplash. My head sways and swings like it's on a swivel, and just as I recover...

I'm swung to the ground.

"Jump on this bitch! Stick him!"

I throw my foot up on instinct alone-I smirk when I see blood fly from a nose. That doesn't stop the rest from piling up on me, and I'm halfway up on my feet, backpedaling, trying to get to a standing base. These fuckers aren't giving me a chance to recover and I don't blame them. If I am allowed to recover, I'll just decimate them like I did with their five or so friends that are lying on the ground right now.

And then, everything stands still. A Yellow Jacket is buzzing around, right by my left arm. I had gotten stung once in my life, back in grade school on the part of my arm just below the bicep where all the tendons and ligaments join up. I was older than I am now-in this dream. I have no recollection of the time or period, but I know I was older than I am now.

I try to move my arm away. I thrash and yank, bringing it to a breaking point. The wasp is as tenacious as the people I'm fighting, and it begins to hover around my arm. Panic sets in. I start swinging my fists and feet, but it's just too little too late. I knock the people back, I bust open their faces and noses, but the wasp lands on the exact spot of my arm, I see its abdomen pump, its thorax bends, and...

I open my eyes. I'm breathing heavy, covered in sweat. I'm in a room, on a bed. Somewhere. I'm not sure where I am, I'm not familiar with the surroundings. The last thing I remember was a huge piece of cement slamming into the ground right in front of me, barely being able to cut it in half with my water attacks, and several more following that chunk of cement. I remember Mikoto screaming-at first it was just a scream, but then she screamed my name, just before everything turned black for me.

I try to move, but it's stupid. Pain erupts in my side, and I can feel something give. I don't know if it is my bones or skin, but considering nothing is protruding out from my side, I assume it's only skin. I realize this, and I recline back in the bed. I feel down my torso, realize I'm nude. Well, not quite nude. I have bandages wrapped around every inch of me and then some, but I don't have any clothes on.

"Try not to move too hastily, Andrew."

I look to front of the room, zoning in on Shizuku. Worry is in her eyes, and it takes me back to before I blacked out from my pain and injuries. Shizuku had been on a mission, desperate to find me in the heap of destruction that buried me. It had taken me by surprise to see her in such a state-I didn't think I'd ever see so much worry shining in her eyes like I had.

She has a tray of food in her hands. I'm not sure what kind of food it is, but anything will do at this moment. My stomach isn't growling for nourishment, but it's about to and I'd rather not deal with that. While being a Kampfer comes with awesome perks, there's a drawback. Other than the obvious, which I'm not going to mention, it's also a voracious appetite. I don't eat more than a human, but when I'm hungry-my body lets me know, and I practically inhale food instead of chewing and swallowing it.

But, knowing I am conscious, and what I had been experiencing before was a dream, I focus on one thing. Mikoto. In the midst of my pain addled mind that wanted to drift off into nothingness, I remember asking about Mikoto. Akane, I believe, told me she was unconscious, but otherwise fine. I'm not sure how fine Mikoto is considering I'm not wearing a top and my whole torso is wrapped in bandages.

I blink, once, twice, and finally three times.

I'm thankful my eyes aren't injured.

"Where's Mikoto?" I venture.

Shizuku closes the gap between us, sets the tray down by my stomach-no doubt to keep me from darting up like an idiot when she tells me where Mikoto is, and sits on the bed by my feet. I just watch her while looking at the food on my tray. It all looks so good and tasty, and I can swallow it all in one gulp, but I have to know where Mikoto is, and if she's okay.

"Shizuku..."

"Not to worry, she's right next to you." Shizuku jabs a finger to my right.

I look, and to my surprise Mikoto is smiling while munching on food. Natsuru is there fussing over her. I notice her arm is in a sling, and I can't help but feel guilt and rage. I think I've become attached to the little energetic bundle, and seeing her in this condition that she's in just kills me. It kills me to see her arm in a sling. That means it's broken or fractured, and we won't be able to skateboard. I won't be able to show her the more advanced tricks. More importantly, it's my fault that she's in this condition.

If I had just grabbed her, and ran off none of this would have happened. Instead, I pushed her off to the side before speeding away to a stupid damn warehouse. I had no time to think or ponder my decision. If I had been a second slower, Mikoto and I would have been murals for bullets and our blood will still be draining on the cement. I should have been more apt in getting the hell out of there. I knew something was wrong with that woman-she had been approaching us with the intent to fight-nobody hung around the warehouses.

Now, Mikoto's arm is in a sling, my whole torso is bandaged, and I don't even know the extent of the rest of our injuries if we have any. Mikoto's arm is in a sling because she twisted it before, or after the warehouse came toppling down on top of her. That must have been the scream I heard-she needed my help, she was in pain, and I just...

"Hey, Andrew!" Mikoto says, somehow remaining chipper.

I want to cry, and I can feel tears brimming in my eyes. Mikoto is so chipper that it's starting to rip me apart. I guess it is better than her screaming at me and pointing a finger at me, but I still...I still just feel guilt and rage, and seeing Mikoto so cheerful with a broken arm, it just breaks me. She has such a strong will that she isn't letting it deter her, but I still blame myself.

"Mikoto, I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, Andrew." She gives me a smile, and I know she's sincere right now. "You were just teaching me skateboard tricks."

"I'm still sorry, if I just grabbed you and ran..."

"You would have run into the White Kampfer we were battling, and things could have ended worse. It's not your fault."

Of course, Akane can be so cold and logical when she's transformed. I welcome that right now, because I'm really beating myself up over this. Nobody has ever been injured because of me or my actions-barring fights. I never lead someone into a jumping. I never initiated a jumping. I never put things into motion where something like what happened to Mikoto and I happened.

But, still, I can't help but blame myself. Between myself and Mikoto-I'm more apt to use logic, than allow emotions to overrun me. Now, I may fly off the handle when I'm enraged, but that's different. In moments like the one that transpired, I'd feel that something is wrong, and instead of waiting for things to play out, I'd dart off and avoid the whole thing. We were in an open space, true. There were only warehouses where we could take cover, true. But...

"Andrew, eat." Shiuzku urges me, putting a spoon to my mouth.

I take the spoonful of miso soup, looking at the tray of food. "Sorry, I know you and Akane put a lot of effort into making this."

"It's fine." Shiuzku smiles at me, getting another spoonful of soup for me. "Open wide."

I pout a little, but take in the soup. I'm glad Shizuku isn't going crazy with this and doing the whole airplane thing. It'd be mortified, and since the other girls are with us in the room, that'd be all the more mortifying. I'm surprised I'm not swatting away Shizuku's hand. I would have, normally. I had a bad experience with hot noodles and broth, and I don't want to repeat that with this soup.

I finish the soup. This miso soup was actually good, and I enjoyed the broth. Tofu is white and squishy and really has no taste or texture, at least to me. Some people can't stand tofu but I think that's because they tried tofu dogs like Beast Boy always made on Teen Titans. Sushi though, I love sushi, and I eat it out of Shizuku's fingers without a single complain or pout. I know she's enjoying this moment of feeding me as much as I am enjoying her and Akane's home cooking.

I scarf down the last piece of sushi, and chew it with vigor. I still have a lot to say, but between eating and just feeling pure out of it, I'm not sure if I want to go back to sleep or stay awake.

"Did you guys give me painkillers or something?"

"Yeah, you had a screaming fit so I gave you some morphine." Akane replies

Natsuru is trying and failing to get Mikoto to eat the miso soup.

"I don't want to eat the tofu!"

Natsuru is actually scowling. "Stop acting like a child and eat! This is for your strength!"

"How much morphine did you give me?"

"Short of two hundred milligrams. You were out like a light five minutes later, thank the heavens. You were screaming bloody murder, not that I blame you."

I had been ready to say something about my screaming ruining her silence and good times, but Akane didn't get too snide about it. That means she knew the severity of my wounds, and how to treat them. She must have treated them, or Shizuku did, or both of them did. Natsuru is such a panzy ass I doubt she had been in the room when I and Mikoto were topless getting treated and cleaned.

"Thanks, I owe you one."

Akane waves her hand, ignoring what is now turning into mortal combat between Natsuru and Mikoto.

"Don't worry about it, you covered me, so we'll call it down the middle."

"Partner?" I venture.

"Partner." She smirks wildly at me.

"Natsuru, stop!"

"No!"

Even with one arm, the little bundle that is Mikoto is fending off Natsuru, just barely. I imagine she's feeling like I am-half in and half out, and really has no strength in her limbs. But, she doesn't like tofu, so she's going to fend off Natsuru the best she can who is hell bent on stuffing tofu in her mouth. Personally I think it's funny, and I'm sure Shizuku and I would have been having a similar scene, but I had been docile.

The food was also good.

"We're friends, and it's what friends do for each other. If you hadn't shoved Mikoto out of the way when you did, she would have got a bullet through her kneecap. She would have gotten three in her head right after that."

"You're kidding me?"

"Not at all. If she wasn't in her Kampfer form-the burn mark we treated on her leg would be a broken bone instead. It would have shattered her shin bone. If she had been just an inch closer, her leg would have been broken as well. You saved her life."

I try to absorb all of the information, but I know this is just the tip of the iceberg. I still have to be told what my wound are, and what Mikoto's wounds are. I'm going to have to wrestle with my guilt and rage over Mikoto's arm being broken or close to it. There's also the possibility it could be her shoulder as well. Then there's my wounds-my whole torso is bandaged so that means other than my side, I got lacerated, and I could have bruising all over the place.

We are not in good shape, and I'm not in good shape mentally or emotionally. I had looked pathetic, I had to be washed and cleansed by Shizuku and Akane, had to have my wounds treated by them, and they seen me at my lowest. I don't even remember screaming when we got to this place-I don't even remember getting here at all. She must have shoved those pill down my mouth and shovel down a gallon of water to wash them down.

Well, they did the trick.

I couldn't let Mikoto get hurt or die-I'm attached to her, and I don't want anything bad to happen to her. I don't want to see her down or sad, I want her to be happy and joyful and jumping around getting on my last nerve. She's a little bundle, and I want to keep her as that bundle. I don't want her dead or worse, I don't know what I'd do...

"Where are we?"

I need to focus on something else.

Mikoto is alive, she's here, and that's all that matters.

"At my place."

Shizuku trails her hands on the bed, just an inch away from my arm.

"And, where's those five idiots?"

I'm trying to ignore her.

"Oh, you mean the stuffed animals? They're in the living room." Akane points at the door.

"We believed it was best to come here since it was closest. Akane got our entrail animals once we made sure that your condition and Mikoto's was stable. We couldn't let Natsuru handle such a task since she'd just lead the White Kampfer to your place without even knowing it. We're going to stay here for the weekend." Shizuku explains.

I can only think about my DVDs and tapes.

"But, what about my Gojira movies?"

"Can we talk about that after we talk about your wounds?"

It's Natsuru and she sounds serious. She isn't sputtering out her words. She isn't stuttering. She isn't flustered or struggling to speak. His voice and tone are firm, resolute, and she will hear no objections. It's surprises me, to my core. I was under the impression that Natsuru is an indecisive dolt that couldn't commit to anything even if it was tucking in sheets. Evidently I had been wrong, and Natsuru has her moments where she can be strong and decisive, it's just the other ninety nine point nine-I'm not going to get in the point spectrum, percent of the time she isn't.

Maybe it's my addled mind, but I think Natsuru is mad at me. She didn't have to raise her voice like that or sound so demanding. I know Mikoto is a childhood friend, but I had tried to get her out of harm's way.

"I...I just want to watch my movies..." I look at Natsuru, feeling tears brimming. "I know it's my fault Mikoto is hurt-"

"It's not!"

I sniff. "I just want to watch my movies. I'm sorry Mikoto got hurt!"

Natsuru sighs.

"Akane, did you have to give her so many pain pills?"

"Her side was split open like someone stuck a knife in her and dragged it down, you tell me. Did you want to hear her screaming bloody murder the entire time Shizuku and I stitched it up while you were sitting out in the hallway?"

"I didn't want to see them naked!"

"We're all women right now! It wouldn't have made a difference!"

"I don't care!" Natsuru retorts.

"You stupid little panzy ass!"

"You seen me naked!?" I look at Natsuru, about to cover my breasts, but my arms are lagging.

"No! No!" Natsuru exclaims, stumbling around in shock. "I was in the hall the entire time! I didn't even peek."

"I bet you did, you're such a lecher..." I smirk for a second. "I don't mind, you're a babe Natsuru."

"Andrew!" Natsuri cries. "Not you too!"

"Back off, Natsuru is mine, don't forget your promise!" Mikoto snaps.

"First come first serve."

"What!?" Mikoto shrieks.

"Andrew, could you calm down?"

I look at Shizuku, and I dare say she is almost pleading with me. I'm not sure if I'm behaving that badly or irrationally. I'd like to think I'm mild compared to some people on pain pills. I knew someone that had been taking four methadone every day for a month straight, smoking, and drinking, and he had threw up every single day for a month straight. I knew someone else that vomited right in the middle of class because he was flying high on cloud nine hundred.

I just want my DVD collection and movies. I want to see Stubby Bear and make sure she's okay. I want to coddle Mikoto even though I'm in no condition to do just that. More than anything-I want to get my hands on the woman that shot at Mikoto and I, and grab her by the neck, and slam her into the ground, and then crush her throat in my hand. I want to make her suffer and scream like she made Mikoto and I suffer. I want to break her, just like she broke Mikoto's arm.

Fuck that bitch-whoever that had been, her ass is mine, and I will know...

I will know when I see her-my sixth sense is getting stronger and I will recognize her.

"Is Gojira on your TV?"

"Can you stop thinking about that for three seconds!?" Akane snaps at me.

"I've been watching those movies since I was three years old."

"They're on a classic movies network. I will take you to the living room to watch them or bring a TV in here, if you can be corrigible for the next few minutes." Shizuku explains.

I look at her, then at Akane, then at Natsuru, and then at Mikoto...

My poor bundle...With her arm in a sling.

Mikoto...

"Okay..."

"Gosh, you drive me up a wall." Akane remarks, but laughs. "So, who should I start with first?"

"Since Mikoto's arm is in a sling, why don't we start with her?" I venture.

"Why do I have to be first?"

"Stop complaining, Mikoto. It's not a competition!" Natsuru grouses.

"Says you. You big meanie, after I let you give me tofu."

"It was fricking mortal combat the entire time. You didn't even eat it!"

"So what!? You're not the boss of me!"

I snicker, watching the two banter back and forth. "Okay. Okay. Let's start with my decrepit ass."

I can sense everything from the atmosphere and tone get serious. I in return get as serious as I can. I can feel the Morphine kicking in, and it's like riding a wave into nothingness. I think I'll be sleeping within the next two hours, or maybe sooner. I'm fighting off the lead that's weighing down my eyes and the bliss that is creeping around me like a blanket.

There's only silence for a few seconds, and I note Mikoto is as anxious as I am. She's probably jacked up on pain meds like I am and is halfway in and halfway out, if not worse. I know are wounds are bad-Mikoto's arm is in a sling, and that says enough right there. My whole torso is bandaged, and if there was ever a moment where you wondered, you're really fucked up, well, this is that moment for me. Now, I feel bad for worrying these three so much like I had.

I know it couldn't be helped. Mikoto and I were in terrible conditions and were screaming in pain, even if we can't remember it. No doubt it affected Natsuru, Akane, and Shizuku, but treating the wounds and seeing them in gritty detail must have brought them to a breaking point. I'd like to think we're all friends, and if you see a friend in a condition like Mikoto and I had been in, you assume the worst and start crying. If you have enough mental fortitude you try to help them.

"You want to break it, or should I?" Akane looks at Shizuku.

The two seem to be having a silent conversation, and it's so not fair. I want to be a part of it, and I thought that's something Shizuku and I only do. We can have a whole exchange by just looking at each other. It's one of the things I enjoy about being around her, even if she does get out of hand at times, pun wholly intended, I like how we connect.

"I suppose it is something we can do together."

"You sure?"

I look at the two.

"You're better than I am with medical facts and caring, in that sense. I have some experience in battle wounds, though. We can trade off every few seconds."

Akane tilts her head one way and then another-my guess is that it is silent agreement.

"I'm going to start with your least severe wounds. Your knees and elbows were cut down to your third layer of skin. You have bruising all over your torso-none of your bones are broken, but I'm sure it feels like it. Your severe wound was the cut on your side-it cut all the way through, and almost went to your pelvis. This wound would have killed the average human, but your Kampfer durability and healing made sure it was just a severe wound. It would have been life threatening if you lost anymore blood. You would have needed a blood transfusion."

"You also suffered a laceration to your skull. I'm glad you haven't taken notice of the bandages wrapped around your scalp. It came close to cutting into your right eye. That's why you had a hard time opening your eyes when we found you." Shizuku adds.

In short, my ass is fucked up. I know I could be a lot worse off than I am, but the point is-I got my shit rocked. I got my shit fucked up. I got curb stomped. I can only think of revenge and payback-if I don't hit whoever did this to me back, twice as hard, or kill them, I'm going to be the chump. I'm going to be the little bitch that didn't do anything. I am not going to be that person.

I am going to hit that bitch twice as hard and I'm going to break her leg, and I'm going to twist her arm. True, I had my chance when she started unloading her gun, but I was caught off guard, and I pushed Mikoto out of the way. In the time it took me to push Mikoto out of the way I could have grabbed that bitch firing the gun, and throttle her so bad she'd regret ever being born into this world.

As it stands, I hadn't been able to do that, and well...

I'm laying up in bed, wounded and battered.

"What about Mikoto? Is she okay?"

"Tsk." Akane sighs, looking at me with a frown. "You're going to be in pain when you pee and take a shit, and you're worried about Mikoto?"

I nod without any shame.

"You're too much, Andrew..." Natsuru sighs, pressing her back against the wall and sliding down.

"Moving on. Mikoto's knees and elbows were cut down to the third layer. In addition to her arm being broke, her shoulder was also dislocated. The cut on her side was just as bad as your's, Andrew. She didn't suffer any lacerations or cuts to her skull, but she will definitely be out for the foreseeable future. She won't be able to attend school, either. Her torso has also suffered bruising, but not quite as bad as your own."

"Wooo! No school for me!"

I feel some relief that Mikoto is cheering about not having to go to school. Needless to say I won't be going to school either until I'm all healed up. It'll be a problem if I'm in there when peeing and shitting, as Akane put it, were going to cause me extreme pain. However, Mikoto's injuries are worse than I thought they were. She isn't going to be able to move her arm, at all, for anything.

Even standing up was going to cause her pain, and that just made me bitter. I wish I was so wounded, and Mikoto could be up and moving in a few weeks. Akane nor Shizuku got into the details of her shoulder-it was dislocated. But, her rotator cuff could be damaged as well, her shoulders muscles could have been ripped or torn, it just wasn't a matter of dislocation. The shoulder was one of the few parts of the body, that rotated.

"Andrew, it's not your fault."

I look at Natsuru, a little surprised.

"If I had fired an attack at one of the White Kampfer, we could have got back to you guys. I was weak. I held back. Don't blame yourself for Mikoto's injuries, like Akane said-you saved her life."

"Thanks...Natsuru..."

"Mhm."

"I'd never hold a grudge against you, Andrew!" Mikoto affirms, grinning at me. "You're my buddy!"

I don't know if it's the pain pills that compelled her to say that, if it is genuine feelings, or if it is a crazy mixture of both. I'm not sure if it's the pain pills, my own delusions, or my own feelings, or a mixture of it all, but I'm starting to laugh. Like a quiet laugh, that slowly goes to borderline hysterical, but I stop short of that obnoxious volume and display. I just laugh and simple laugh, painful as it is-I think I'm finally losing it.

"You're my little bundle, Mikoto."

She gives me the victory sign. "Now I can look at your assignments and stuff and copy off of them."

"It's a deal, if I even do them."

There's a shadow looming over the party, and I know it's Shizuku and Natsuru. Akane, as she is now, won't care if I don't do my work, and if I do, let Mikoto copy everything. Only Shizuku and Natsuru will make such a big deal out of it-like it's so terrible. After what Mikoto and I have been through, we shouldn't even be getting homework or schoolwork. We should get more pain pills, good food, and a TV in this room so we don't have to stare at the walls.

I brace for what's coming next.

A scolding.

"You will do all of your work, Andrew, and that is that." Shizuku says, tone showing that there will be no arguing at all.

"You won't copy off of her either, Mikoto." Natsuru decides to jump in. "You have to do the work on your own."

"Why?"

Mikoto and I throw the question out there at the same time.

"I want ice cream!" Mikoto grouses. "I want ice cream! I can't write-my right arm is messed up!"

"You're ambidextrous."

"Stop picking on her, Natsuru! Get us ice cream! She can't do any work, didn't you hear her?"

I throw my best accusing glare at her.

"You're no better than she is, Andrew."

"Well excuse me. I'm just hopped up on pain pills and can't think of doing work."

Shizuku clears her throat.

"Stay out of this." I grouse.

"I'm afraid I have to get involved, you see...As the Student Council President-"

Mikoto groans. "We're not at school!"

"I am the Student Council President and I have certain responsibilities. One of those is making sure you both are not going to be going to school and Natsuru, Akane, and I will bring you the work that must be done. Another one of my responsibilities is to make sure that the work gets done, Andrew, and that there is no copying of answers, Mikoto. I don't know how long you two will have to be out of school, but I will ensure nothing unsavory is going on."

"She just ignored me."

Mikoto looks at a loss.

"Welcome to the club."

I give a thumbs up.

"Natsuru, defend me!" Mikoto pleads. "You're my childhood friend, you have to defend me! Throw down your life for me! I don't want to do homework!"

"Stop being so dramatic, Mikoto."

"It's hopeless, Mikoto. We'll just have to bust out of here ourselves."

"You. Will. Not. Do. That." Natsuru says, glaring at me.

"But I don't want to do homework! I want ice cream!"

Akane clears her throat. "Before you two are out like lights or we get too far off focus, did you manage to see who attacked you?"

I sober up quickly.

"No, I couldn't. I mean I could see their outline and silhouette because the sun was in my eyes. She had big boobs and thick legs, not quite as big as Andrew's boobs, but they were still big. Her legs also weren't as long or shapely as Andrew's, I couldn't see her booty, but I don't think she'd be able to compete with Andrew in that regard either."

"Mikoto-!"

"Let her talk, Andrew." Akane snaps at me.

"Why don't you just feel me up!?" I snap at Mikoto and Akane.

"Get a grip."

"Shut up, Akane."

"Anyways, continue on Mikoto." Shizuku continues.

I am being ignored.

It's pissing me off.

"Well, she was short. I don't know if she was shorter than me, but she was pretty short. Her hair was dark. I don't know if it looked more black or purple to be honest. I guess, I'll just say her hair was dark. That's all I can remember."

"The weapon, what kind did she use?"

"Some sort of machine gun."

I suck in a breath, and sadly that brings all of the attention onto me. I mean it's not enough Shizuku and I have embraced naked, and Mikoto is clearly checking me out when I'm not paying attention. Now, everyone is focusing on me-I don't know if I have the energy to go through a recollection of the event that put Mikoto and I into this condition. I just don't know. I wish Mikoto had a little more decency to be subtle with her ogling, instead she just compared that woman to me, and how we're so different body wise.

I don't know how to feel about this...

"Well, Andrew?"

Of course Shizuku is prodding.

"What?"

"Stop being a dumbass and spit it out." Akane says, glaring at me.

"I swear, if I could move right now..."

"You wouldn't do jack squat."

"I'd punch you in the stomach again..."

"I'd elbow your lung again. Spit it out. What kind of gun was she using?"

"You don't want me to describe how she looked?" I mock.

Akane glares at me while Shizuku exhales-clearly both are anxious and impatient, but I don't care. I'm hurt, so I can be a royal pain in their ass. Shizuku wants to be the stupid wasp that is hobbling out of m beer bottle drunk and can't fly straight. Akane and I have come to blows-even if it was just an elbow and a punch, and I'm just not going to make thing east for them.

"Andrew, what weapon did the woman use?"

I don't like the tone Shizuku is taking with me, and it makes me wary. It's not the tone of someone about to strangle me. This is the tone she had used when she sauntered up to me, leaned down, and then smashed her lips against mine.

"It was MAC fucking 10. Even an Uzi doesn't spit out that many bullets at once. I counted at least ten thousand from the outset, and that doesn't include what she unloaded on me when I was running to the warehouse, and in the warehouse. I don't even think she reloaded, to be honest."

"That's the same bitch that attacked my the other day!" Akane yells, loading up her gun while glowering at the ceiling. "A MAC 10. I had no time but to evade bullets, and it sounds like you are in the same boat."

"Well, until I make ice that's so hard bullets can't go through it or a steam that'll melt off flesh, definitely." I nod

"Bitch is crafty. I didn't even get a good look at her, if at all. Mikoto and you at least seen some of her features. I don't think that was your everyday MAC 10 either."

"Like the standard issue is just something to scoff at."

I can't help but snort and shake my head. Akane is like oh, well, the MAC 10 that was used on me is different from standard issue. Like standard issue MAC 10 machine guns are paltry and can be laughed at. I know there are...I think three different types, not sure of all the details-standard MAC 10 can unload more than one thousand bullets, and frankly, I think that's more than enough. You can wipe out an entire army with that fucking gun.

Akane knows this, but she's like eh, standard issue is nothing to worry about. I know she's been a Kampfer longer than I have, definitely, but I'll never understand how or why she can be so calm while she is talking about a MAC 10, get shot at by that damn thing, and just the whole nine yards. I'm so tense right now I could shit out diamonds, and she's just lackadaisical about the whole thing.

"Are you being a smart ass?"

"Enlighten us on what kind of MAC 10 it is, oh great gun guru."

"If you must know I think it is 380 ACP variant. This one is capable of firing just short of fourteen hundred bullets per minute. If I had to guess, this is why you could nothing but run and dodge the gunfire-if you stay still for even a second you'd get blown to pieces by all of those bullets. If it isn't the 380 ACP variant that bitch was using, than it was the standard issue, which is still nothing to scoff at."

"One just fires damn near thirteen hundred bullets and the other is short of fourteen hundred."

"One thousand three hundred and eighty rounds per minute, technically, with the 380 ACP." Akane adds.

"Fantastic..."

"Well, you two just get some rest. I'll be doing some investigating while I'm at school." Shizuku says.

* * *

Mikoto and I spend all of our time together. Most of the time we're knocked out cold because of the pain pills we're getting. I think Akane and Shizuku will rather have us sound asleep than awake and bothering them. Natsuru wants to play a fool, but I know she feels the same. Mikoto and I don't make an effort to do our work. I complain about how I hurt and can't concentrate. Mikoto insists she can't write or even open up her textbooks. I insist I can't think straight because of the all the pain pills.

I think if we annoy these three enough, they'll do our work for us. It is an unspoken agreement between Mikoto and I. We don't want to do our work, so they can do it for us. This is quickly shot down about four days into our rehab when Natsuru, Akane, and Shizuku glare at us while we have a mountain of work on our laps. Mikoto and I do what we do best-we gripe, and moan, and groan, and complain, and say we can't do it This doesn't sway the mean trio, and Mikoto and I end up sound asleep thanks to the pain pills.

So, this is not working out.

It's about one week-if my concept of time is right, when Shizuku and Natsuru put our assignments on our laps. We have a little table and everything, and I wish it was a food tray full of delicious cooking and warm soup. Akane does the unthinkable. She's got two gallons of ice cream on a silver platter-close enough to us where Mikoto and I could snatch it, if we were capable of doing that.

Unfortunately, we are not.

I just glower at the ice cream and at the stupid school work. It is such an eyesore I want to use my water powers to soak them so bad that they just fall apart with a simple touch. Sadly, that'd strain me-strain my body can't take at this moment. So, I'm just left helpless in the face of this frozen goodness.

"What do you mean I have to do my work before I get ice cream!?"

Mikoto is snapping.

"That's the ultimatum. It's been one week and neither of you have even made an effort to do your work. You're going to fall behind." Natsuru snaps back.

"I don't want to do it." I cross my arms. "I want ice cream."

"Me too! Who cares about school work!?" Mikoto backs me up.

That's my bundle.

"Andrew, you're acting so immature." Akane-not transformed, is chastising me.

It's getting like mortal combat in here.

Damn right it's over ice cream.

"How can you be on their side, Akane? I thought we were ride or die to the very end."

"Don't try and make me feel guilty. We got you guys a TV, we got half of your DVD collection, we even got a DVD player and VCR combo so you can watch your movies."

"But, the ice cream..."

She huffs, frowning at me. "Just do your work and you can at it all."

"That might not be-"

"Shut up, Natsuru! You're always spoiling it!" I grouse. "I don't like Japanese Literature or history, we always have sooooo much to do!"

Despite my best complaints, neither of them are budging an inch-hell a centimeter, on this. I can appreciate the fact they care so much about my grades and Mikoto's. but at the same time it's ridiculous I have to do this when I'm going to be in battle sooner, rather than later. I really can't act like everything is everything and life has gone back to being normal. But, I start to look through my assignments and slowly, but surely finish them. That ice cream is going to be mine, and if I have to do a few stupid assignments to get it...

So be it.

Still, I don't like Japanese Literature. The class, I mean. There's way too much work to do. Too much research. Too much writing. Too much studying, and just too much of too much. My first day of class had consisted of taking ten pages of notes, and I'm lucky if I got half of that. It's just too much. Perhaps I shouldn't have been putting down my heard and dozing off in the middle of class before I was bedridden. Some of these questions should be easy-like which pot from the twelfth and thirteenth century is responsible for creating the Formal Japanese Tea Ceremony?

There's another question that I should just be answering with ease, but I can't. What poet was born in the eleventh century and has eighty six poems in the official anthology Shokukokin Wakashū? This should be easy since there weren't too many poets in Japan near the end of the 1200's. However, because I hadn't been paying attention in class, well, I'm stuck.

"This is so stupid!"

Mikoto is echoing my sentiment loud and clear. This is so stupid. How are we expected to do this work, and all of this, when we're injured? We're on so much pain pills we're not sure when day is day and when night is night. The moon is the sun and the sun is the moon. It miles well be for us. I know, myself, I was sleeping for almost eleven hours a day and waking up to see Shizuku, Akane, and Natsuru around me.

Tora, Stubby Bear, Bugs, Buddy, and Lynx were all around us as well, or in Shizuku's living room watching TV. I assume it's so they don't bother Mikoto and I too much to get reactions out of us. Stubby Bear can certainly get me going when he wants to-like he always does, but this time around he's being a little more corrigible and not driving me up a wall. I can't speak for Mikoto, because I don't know Buddy enough-but I bet he does the same thing to her.

Mikoto rips one of her assignments to shreds with one hand, and before Natsuru can fire off an angry retort, she throws it on the floor. It falls and flitters, lighter than the air, and some of the paper spins like those helicopter leaves that descend from their high perches in trees during the spring and fall.

"Mikoto!"

"I'm tired, Natsuru!"

While Natsuru and Mikoto are engaged in mortal combat, again, I just try to finish my work. There's no way I'm going to be able to finish all of it, nor do I want to finish all of it. I'm just going to finish enough where the teacher will be satisfied. Shizuku will never be satisfied if I finish just a few assignments, but I know my teacher will be, and that is all that matters to me.

"Can I see your laptop, Shizuku?"

"Why?"

I don't meet her eyes, focusing on my work. Giving off the appearance that I am so she can't read me, like I know she will. "Research."

"If you're thinking about using Wikipedia..." She pauses. "Absolutely not."

"This is so stupid!" I snap, just like Mikoto did minutes before. "I have one question left and you're going to start your folly!"

"Wikipedia isn't a credible source of information."

"It gets the job done."

"And, what folly of mine are you speaking of?"

I glare at her. "You know exactly what folly I'm talking about."

"I am sure you enjoy it as much as I do."

I flush, struggling to stay composed. "I'm not talking about that, you idiot!"

"Then I am at a loss. Hurry up and finish this assignment."

It is with cool eyes that Shizuku stares at me. A smile spreads across her face, and she crosses one leg over the other. I'd say she's sultry and trying to seduce me, if it wasn't for the fact I am annoyed at this moment, and she is the cause of it. I think she's even more inclined to annoy me at this moment than to seduce me and start frazzling me in that way.

It is just one question-and it's the one about who started the formal Japanese Tea Ceremony. For the life of me I can't remember who the hell it had been. I know it was a monk. But, that's about it. I'm tempted to just put it was monk, or even just putting it was a samurai-even though samurai were anything but poets. They were warriors and killing machines that swung around bloody swords-they weren't artists nor poets.

Why did the teacher of this class have to care about poets so much? There was more Japanese Literature other than poets and their poetry. There's no mention of Hijikata Toshizo, and his supposedly terrible Haiku poems. Maybe they're not mentioned because they are not so good, or he is better known as the Demon Vice Commander of the Shinsengumi rather than a suave and complex poet.

"Can you help me out?"

Shizuku stares at me. "What do I get in return?"

"The gratitude of knowing that you helped me."

She flips her hair. "Sorry, not good enough."

I huff and puff, knowing full well what she wants. I was her personal playground once, and while she didn't let her hands roam too much-I know that if things had been different, she would have let her hands and fingers roam. She will likely not step over that boundary we've both drawn up, but that doesn't mean I won't be her personal playground again.

"Fine."

Her grin makes me shiver. "Fine?"

I point my pencil at her. "I said fine, and that's all I'm going to say...Now can you help me?"

She simpers, and flips her hair again.

Honestly...

"Okay, I'll help you."

"What is the answer to this question?"

Shizuku looks it over before reading it out loud. "A Zen Buddhist priest that influenced Japanese art and literature with Zen attitudes and ideals, and is one of the creators of the Japanese Tea Ceremony. Who is this man?"

"I don't fricking know."

"Maybe if you paid more attention and didn't spend your time sleeping in class-"

"I don't need a lecture from you, I just need help answering this last question. You said you were going to help me, now help me!"

"How impatient.

I growl. "The ice cream is starting to melt."

"How unfortunate."

"Shizuku...Please..." I plead, tapping my pencil against the line. "Just give me the answer."

"Asukai was an old man, and Chugan was an old geezer."

"Efiuku was an old bat." I sing.

"Jakuhitsu played the flute."

Shizuku's singing voice is nice.

"And Ikkyu was the weirdo! The answer is Ikkyu Soujun!"

"And Jien couldn't keep his nose out of the books~"

I jot down the answer, grinning like I'm crazy. I don't care if my grin is borderline deranged-I've finished the assignment and I can finally get my gallon of ice cream! Usually Japanese sing songs that have to do with learning their language, from what I've heard and seen. They don't sing songs for poets and to memorize them, but Shizuku and I are clearly different from the rest-I'm not Japanese to start with.

"I'm done, now give me that ice cream!" I demand.

"Don't make a huge mess, Andrew." Akane warns.

I cant even be bothered to respond to Akane. Shizuku gives me the ice cream and I go to town on it. It's soooo good and sweet, and savory. The flavor is cookies and cream. The bits of cookie are like heaven and I'm on a cruise to heaven. So sweet, so crunchy, and just so good! It had been worth doing my assignments to get this, Mikoto will want this flavor no doubt, but this whole gallon is mine.

Mikoto won't be getting the ice cream anytime soon anyways. She is as stubborn as I am. But, where I want the ice cream and will finish my assignment to get it, she will refuse to do her work and just gripe for the ice cream. I'll share some of mine with her eventually, since she is my little bundle, but that's not going to be for a while. I will get my fill, and some more of this cookies and cream ice cream before Mikoto even gets a little taste of it.

"Are you listening right now?"

"Honestly, Shizuku, I'm not."

I reply with little shame. I'm just enjoying my reward for finishing my assignments. Shizuku wanted to play dirty, well that was okay. I can and will rise up to conquer the task and give someone a face full of heel if it comes down to it. They though they could break me by holding me at ransom with ice cream, but I have proved them wrong, and it feels good.

"Your wounds will be better in a few weeks, so you will have to go to school. I won't hear any of your objections, complaints, or anything else along those lines. Don't forget about out agreement."

Shizuku is serious.

I just ignore her, munching on ice cream.

"You don't have to be such a bully, Shizuku. You're always so forceful." Natsuru interjects.

"Do you have a problem with that?"

"I do. Andrew is hurt. You can't expect her or Mikoto to return to school in a few weeks. They were hurt, and need all the rest they can get."

"I'm in love with you, Natsuru." I tell her, smiling.

This ice cream is super good.

The Japanese are perfectionists by nature, and that'd extend to their ice cream.

"Back off!" Akane snaps-transforming.

"I've missed you!" I grin at her, holding out my arms, making sure to put my spoon in the gallon tub.

"I think you're loopy off of the pain medication. Just eat your ice cream." Akane waves her hand at me.

"You better back off of Natsuru. You made me a promis, Andrew. I'm not going to let you break it." Mikoto snaps at me.

"Yeah, you have the wanna be boss queen, ice queen. Natsuru is my turf!" Akane yells.

"Natsuru is my turf!" Mikoto retorts.

I laugh, shoving the spoon in my mouth,

My friends, my silly friends.

"Don't I get a say in this?" Natsuru ventures.

"Shut up!"

Natsuru looks at me for assistance.

I can only remember when she coerced me into doing my work with ice cream and scolding me, but she defended me, so...

"It's okay Akane and Mikoto. Natsuru loves the both of you, equally."

"He loves me more! I'm his childhood friend!"

"Natsuru is my turf!"

"Natsuru is my personal playground!" Mikoto snaps at Akane. "Back off!"

"Like hell!"

"Guys-"

"Shut up, Natsuru!"

I meet Shizuku's gaze and smile at her. She looks impressed or disappointed with me, it's hard to say really. But, she's so close to me I'm having flashbacks of when we embraced the other night. Shizuku had shoved me down into the couch, bruised my lips, and shoved me into the couch again. By the time I could recover, she had been bruising my lips and squeezing me-I'm not going to complain...

Part of me had enjoyed it. Shizuku is so soft, and she smells so good, and she is so wholesome...I cant exactly admit the way I feel to her, or even to myself for that matter, but we both know...It is unspoken between us, and that is why when she looks into my eyes, or I look into her's...I can only feel a nervous excitement. She knows a lot more about this stuff than I do, and she shows me how much she knows.

I'm a person of my word-I know I'll have to embrace her again, but this time, I'm going to fluster her.

I will fluster Shizuku Sangou.

"You're making me feel..." Shizuku trails off, smirking at me. "Hungry."

"I'll share this with you." I offer her my spoon.

"Okay. It'll be like an indirect kiss."

I frown, tilting my head, but I don't question Shikzuku's reasonins-she's a babe right now, and she's won my heart. We can share ice cream, and she's willing to on top of that. A lot of people don't eat from the same spoon, just because. I usually don't because you never know if someone is sick, or has something-I'm not a germ fearer, but I can be close to it.

"You'll be ready in a few weeks, right?"

I wonder if Shizuku needs me. I feel like we're on the battlefield in the Bakumatsu and I'm bedridden. Shizuku has just been through battle after battle and she needs me to back her up. We're going to clear people out, or go down together cutting down everyone that we can. From how I feel-I should be ready in a few weeks to get back to school, and I'm almost looking forward to it. I'll miss my sleeping in, but when I get my hands on the woman that shot at me.

That's going to be it.

Out of everyone here, other than Akane, I'm certain Shizuku can only count on me. Mikoto is far too emotional, not that it is a bad thing. Natsuru is a little too indecisive in battle, and that is a bad thing. Indecision in tooth and nail fights can lead to death or worse. I'm more than willing to gouge out my foe's eyes, bite their throats, pinch them, bite them, and hit them between the legs.

I know it will hurt a woman if I strike her between the legs. It won't have the same effect as kicking a man between the legs, of course, but there are nerves there. A lot of nerves, and a woman will drop if she is struck hard enough between her legs. Striking her boobs will bring her down to her knees, definitely. Even though a woman's parts are inside, if struck, there is pain.

There's just no way around that.

"I should be. As long as I can watch my movies, listen to my music, and eat good food." I reply, taking a spoonful of ice cream from her.

"You're being stingy, let me have the spoon." I complain.

"Only if you stop being a boar."

"Shut up."

Shizuku eyes me carefully.

I don't turn away from her.

"I think things are going to get more hectic..." She trails off, looking to the side.

"I'm right at your side. I didn't forget about the pact we made. All of us are together until the end."

"To the very end?"

I nod, looking into eyes. "To the grave, if that is where we will go in the end. I'll go down swinging and fighting, beside you and the others."

"How dreamy." Shizuku coos. "I feel like I am your wife."

That's fine-surprisingly enough, I don't mind that. If Shizuku ever becomes my wife, if we live that long-I won't mind. She drives me up a wall, drives me crazy with her touch, but I love it. I'd never trade it for anything in the world. She is my friend and more. We are part of a group, a pact that is keeping us united, and I won't go back on that.

Natsuru...

Akane...

Mikoto...

Shizuku...

They are all my ride or dies.

"Don't talk so silly in front of others, Shizuku. They'll get the wrong idea."

She waves her hand, dismissing my statement. "I will continue to get your work for the next month, after that, you should healed enough where you can come back to school. Understand?"

"Yes, yes." I roll my eyes. "There you go using logic again."

Shizuku will come here or to my house and drag me to school. She's already done it once, though I didn't have to be at the school at that point in time for about another week or two. There had been some festival going on. It was after school hours for the most part, and when it had been in full swing, it was during school hours, but technically, none of the students had been in class.

I'm not sure what to compare it to, or if it's exactly making any sense, but that's all I got. Point is-I didn't even have to be there, and Shizuku called herself dragging me there. Now that I am expected to show up to school, she'll wrap me up in her chains and carry me there, all the way upside down. I don't know why I'd have to be hauled around upside down, but I would be.

Shizuku gets a real laugh out of that.

I on the other hand only have blood rushing to my head, so not so funny, or fun.

"I do use logic." Shizuku nods. "You know I will come and get you."

"You'd wrap me up in those chains and haul me to school upside down if I didn't show up."

"I most certainly would."

I'll never be able to best this woman, it seems.

But, that's okay.

I can learn a lot from her.

"Would you mind training me at all when I'm not like this?" I venture, observing her carefully.

"For something in return."

"Okay."

She inclines her head, and her grin is brilliant, but it also puts me on edge. "I won't go easy on you."

"That's what I'm hoping for."

We share a silent moment.

"President!"

Of course, it doesn't last.

Natsuru...

"Excuse me, I have to assist them with Mikoto."

"Power to you."

Mikoto won't oblige until she gets ice cream-she is like a mountain.

Shizuku simpers. "I'll be looking forward to our training."

I know I didn't a mistake asking her what I did. Shizuku is the perfect person for training. I just hope she doesn't crush the oxygen out of me with her chains. I'll get through it, I've got no other choice.

"I am too."

Shizuku only grins at me.

I swallow my ice cream and the lump in my throat.

I sure hope this doesn't turn into a mistake on my part.


End file.
